The Chairman of Nsukka Urban Renewal Committee, Arc Chris Offor has urged the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Charles Ugwu to redouble the efforts of his administration in assisting the state to clean up the clogged drainage system in the area in order to allow easy flow of water during rainy season.
The Chairman made the appeal during the committee’s fact-finding and assessment visit to Nsukka town and its environs, as part of its plans to identify locations that need the intervention of the state government.
Arc Offor who visited the areas with other members of the committee, noted that it is only when the council partners with the committee to address some of the challenging issues identified, such as clearing of blockages of the drainage system, removal of illegal structures on the water ways etc that the government efforts to modernize and develop Nsukka will be fully achieved.
The committee also requested the council to as a matter of urgency employ all administrative measures within its powers to identify and enforce the demolition of illegal structures that pose threats to government action plans for the area.
“I was once a Local Government Chairman. There is a bye-law in the Local Government system which empowers you (Council Chairman) to demolish illegal structures that are blocking the drainage system in this area. We urge you to enforce that law so that our efforts to modernize and develop this University town will be a reality”, Offor said.
He also advised the council chairman to set up a task force that will drive the enforcement of the clearing of the water ways and drainage system, disclosing that the committee will soon organize a stakeholders’ meeting with the people of the area to interface with them on the best workable approach to achieve the government noble set objectives for area for socio-economic benefits .
Earlier, the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Charles Ugwu lamented the rising rate of erection of illegal structures in the area against the efforts made by his administration to checkmate such untoward acts.
He assured the committee of a maximum cooperation and promised to take immediate action towards the implementation of its recommendations, which he said will go a long way to assist the committee to succeed.
Other members of the committee who were on the visit included: the two House of Assembly members from Nsukka Local Government Area, Hon. Chinedu Nwamba and Hon. Dame Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, an Estate Developer and National President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, Rev. Surv. Ugochukwu Chime, former Commissioner for land, Enugu State, Surv. Albert Edoga, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Works, Mrs. Silvia Onwubuemelie, among others.
