By Ovat Abeng
The operatives of Awka Capital Territory Development Agency (ACTDA), on Wednesday, demolished a shrine and stores of traders doing businesses at the Government Residential Area (GRA), behind the State Government House along Enugu-Onitsha expressway Awka.
The demolishing exercise which started at about 9:47am and supervised by the Agency’s Enforcement Commandant, Mr. Okonkwo Ukachukwu, also extended to other part of the State capital where many of the illegal structures marked with a warning notices by the agency were equally destroyed for flaunting the order.
Other hubs affected in Wednesday demolition included; Zenith Hospital and Maternity gate at Inezu phase 2 Okpouno-Awka and a dry cleaning hub at GRA Awka
Speaking to journalists shortly after the exercise, the Enforcement Commandant, Mr Okonkwo Ukachukwu, said what the agency is currently doing is a development control which is in line with governor Chukwukuma Soludo’s vision of making Awka a smart mega city in Nigeria.
According to him, GRA is a residential area and not a commercial center but people residing in the area are gradually trying to turn their walls into shops and other businesses which is not part of the master plan of the area.
The demolished shrine was build on top of drainage which also post fears among residents in the area.
GRA is a purely residential area and not for activities of this nature.
In the case of the Zenith Hospital gate, we demolished the entrance gate because the owner is building it with out ACTDA approval.
Mr. Ukachukwu used the exercise to appeal to Awka residents to always obey Government authority to avoid such incident in future.
It was observed that all the demolished strictures has a removal marked notice place at the walls and entrance gates with warning dates of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th July 2024 respectively.
