Soludo set to demolish 200 houses, gives 2-week ultimatum to landlords

In his bid to show his determination for urban renewal of four local Government Areas of Idemili North, Ogbaru, Onitsha North and South, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state, has given a two-week ultimatum to landlords in those four local Government Areas whose houses were among the 200 houses earlier marked for demolition to demolish their houses by themselves and failure the Government would do it for them.

Handing down the ultimatum about two days after meeting with the land Lords at the Onitsha South local Government Secretariat, Governor Soludo added that each landlord would pay for the cost of the demolition if carried out by the state government.

Governor Soludo who sounded the note of warning through his Deputy, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, attributed the blocking of drainages with those houses in the said areas to the poor state of the areas which according to him eventually result in loss of lives and property during rainy season.

“You will see us in action if you disobey. Government will come hard on you. We have all it takes to demolish the buildings, just dynamite and the buildings go in a second.

“We know some are threatening to go to court . We can’t allow for illegality, water must find its course even if you stop it.

In his speech earlier at the meeting with the landlords, the transition committee chairman of Onitsha South local Government Area, Hon. Emeka Asoanya, said that, “some Churches were built on drainages and when you confront those who built them, they will boast that they own the government,”

He urged the state government not to look at whose ox is gored in the demolition exercise since the motive was for urban renewal.

Contributing, Chief Gilbert Obi Bravo, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT, Importers Association of Nigeria, urged the state government to apply human face in handling the issue and pay compensation to those whose papers, Certificate of Occupancy, (C of O) are genuine.

“If you built on drainages there will not be compensation for you. I also want the Government to fix the roads and clear the mountains of refuse that has sacked the area”