Delta issues ultimatum to illegal structure owners in Warri

TRACKING___Owners of illegal structures in Warri, Uvwie and others in Delta state have been given two months ultimatum to relocate or have their structures demolished.

While the state government also warned that it will prosecute violators, it assured that the process was not to witch-hunt anyone, but rather to make Warri and its environs clean.

The Warri, Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency (WUEDA) on Tuesday, explained that it has become necessary to pull down some structures as they were not only illegal, but impacting negatively on the landscape of the area.

In a statement issued by the Director General of WUEDA, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, in Asaba, the agency noted that the illegal structures including unauthorised markets, shops, stalls, plaza, office complex, parks and caravans constitute a nuisance and threat to the aesthetics of the economic nerve centre of the state

According to Macaulay, the structures have collectively turned Warri, Uvwie and environs into an eye- sore with slums that had discouraged investors and hampered economic growth.

Besides, he that the present scenario has to stop, regretting that the illegal structures were a hindrance to WUEDA’s mandate to give the axis a make -over.

He disclosed that the state government would no longer tolerate the unauthorised structures and businesses insisting that “with effect from June 1, owners of illegal structures in both Warri South and Uvwie Local Council Areas, have two months to relocate.

“At the end of July, any illegal structure in Warri, Uvwie and environs will be demolished and the owner prosecuted.”

Meanwhile, Macaulay, has appealed to the communities and youths of the affected council areas to assist in ensuring that work on the master drainage project was not stalled in any way.

He said that they should own the project as it was meant to enhance development of their communities and by extension improve their well-being.