The Anambra government has vowed to continue with the demolition of unapproved structures and prosecute owners of such buildings for gross violation of the law.
The Managing Director of Anambra State Physical Planning Board (AnPPB), Chike Maduekwe, said this at the continued demolition exercise in Nkisi Layout, Onitsha on Thursday.
In Enekwasumpu, Obosi area, the enforcement team led by the MD completed the demolition of structures erected on a canal.
The team also brought down an ongoing one-story building within the premises for lack of approval and posing a threat to lives and property in the neighborhood.
Maduekwe summoned the owner of the structure who had been at large to come and defend his actions insisting that he must face the law and be made to bear the cost of enforcement.
“Somebody built on top of a canal, we marked it and he continued if we allow it to stand, the flood will overrun the area and that will be a disaster,” he said.
Maduekwe said the State government had commenced operation zero tolerance for shanties in Trans Nkisi and would not spare any violator no matter their status in the society.
He said the owners of the shops were given early notices to evacuate their wares and leave the places but they had repeatedly ignored the order.
Maduekwe said the operation was neither selective nor personal, adding that there was no truth in the claim that AnPPB invaded or encroached on the premises of a national media house.
“We started our zero tolerance for shanties last week even though we faced resistance, we are in Trans Nkisi again because it is a government prime land and we are continuing from where we stopped.
“AnPPB Law, no.9, 2013 requires that builders must come for approval, the reason is to determine if the land belongs to them and if the building is consistent with the scheme and its structural integrity.
“We did not enter the premises of NTA, we are moving to clear every shanty that has been marked in this layout, we are not selective, it is not personal,” he said.
