The Abia State Government has concluded plans to relocate all illegal traders at the popular Isigate to Okwulaga-Afara, Umuahia, as part of its ongoing urban renewal and beautification exercise to make the State Capital a smart city......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this during a press briefing on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti, noted that part of the relocation initiatives includes the construction of bus shelters within the Umuahia State Capital.
“The idea is to decongest that part of the state capital. So the new Afara market site, the following things, issues have been taken care of. The identification of suitable land for the market has been identified and completed.
“The acquisition of the land for such a market has been completed and compensation duly paid to the land owners,” he said.
Prince Kanu said that the state government is very intentional and determined to implement the Smart City project; hence, there’s a move to remove the projections in front of buildings, adding that the state government has standardised the projections across the state.
Prince Kanu revealed that in furtherance of the road development agenda of the state government, there are 28 ongoing projects across the state with the contractors on all the sites working to beat the deadline, while out of about 44 direct labour sites where work was ongoing, a few have been completed and about 35 are on course.
He used the medium to issue a stern warning to the producers of fake drugs and beverages to desist from such unwholesome acts and warned that the Government would no longer tolerate such in the State
“Of course, you know, our people are very industrious. Our people are hard-working, and there are a few greedy ones amongst us who are tainting the image of the state with such acts.
“So the state government is going to embark on very serious enforcement with security agencies to ensure that such acts are stopped forthwith.
“With this warning, it is expected that all those who are involved in these unwholesome acts will stop that.
“Where we have the recalcitrant ones amongst them, of course, the law will take its course and such offenders will be made to face the full wrath of the law,” Kanu stated.
Prince Okey Kanu said that the state government is intentional about addressing the housing issues in and around the state capital, adding that about four housing projects would soon take off in the state: 3 around Umuahia and 1 in Ukwa West. He said that discussions are ongoing with developers and the affected areas are Valley View in Umuahia, Mbaisii, Mgbarakuma and Obehe in Ukwa West LGA.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr Chaka Chukwumereije, disclosed that the New Umuahia housing project would be located between Umuahia Tower and Ntigha and would cover about 2000 hectares of land, affecting about 19 communities in that corridor, adding that the public would be fully informed as soon as the paper is completed.
Answering questions from newsmen, the Special Adviser to the Governor on media and publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, made it clear that all forms of illegal motor parts existing at the Isigate will soon be a thing of the past while the ban on one-way driving is still in force
THE WHISTLER reports that the General Manager of the Umuahia Capital Development Authority, Mr Kingsley Agomuo, was present at the briefing.