By Phil Okose Onitsha
Mixed reactions have trailed the marking of about 200 houses for demolition in Okpoko, Onitsha suburb, by Anambra State Government as part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration’s urban renewal effort.
Consequently, an enforcement team led by the Executive Chairman, Physical Planning Board, Barr. Chike Maduekwe, had since commenced marking of structures for removal in Okpoko.
The team, armed with the master plan of Okpoko, sited the area to be touched from the Second Niger Bridge, adding that over 200 structures blocking the road, drainage and water way, will give way.
According to the team, the houses have been preventing successful emptying of flood water into the Niger River.
Okpoko, a sprawling slum which has a population of over a million, sits on the east bank of the Niger River just north of the larger city of Onitsha.
Maduekwe explained that “the major challenge in the area is that many people blocked the waterway especially the Sakamori drainage”, saying that, “when it rains, it stops water from emptying into the Niger River, causing flooding with its attendant damages”
“As a result Governor Soludo gave instruction to mark every house on the waterway and give them notice to remove by themselves”, stating that, “if they don’t remove those structures, government will do so and charge them for the expenses.”
The Chief Surveyor, Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Somto Atuenyi, in his reaction pointed out that his mission is to be a guide, stating that the board remains focused and committed to the mandate.
In his reaction a landlord who identified himself as Peter Ijem, said, “in as much as we welcome giving Okpoko a face lift, government should compensate us before marking our houses for demolition”
“Some of the houses allegedly marked for demolition are not blocking any drainage system. We have lived in Okpoko for years,” he posited.
Also contributing, another land lord who identified himself as Chief Okoye, stated that, “Soludo started well but not to forgo our houses because he wants to reposition the state.,”
“We demand for compensation for any building demolished because we used money to have the land allocation and building”
“We are in full support of the demolition and plead that our case be looked into as some of us have no other business doing than to eat from the meagre money we collect as house rent” he pleaded.
