Authority of the Nigerian Navy, Calabr has been asked to put a stop to the Navy Hotel being constructed without due approval from the Cross River Ministry of Lands and Town Planning.
The Commissioner for lands and Town Planning, Prof . John Inyang, who gave the directive as he personally conducted the sealing off of the premises where the construction of the hotel is going on without due approval stressed the need for the Nigerian Navy to respect the laws of Cross River.
Prof Inyang, disclosed that His Excellency, Sen Prof Ben Ayade has given directive for the place to be sealed off and work stopped for the proper thing to be done by the authority of the Nigerian Navy.
Inyang contended that the land in question was never allocated to the Navy, and that the Nigerian Navy started construction without applying for approval from the Cross River Government.
“The authority of Nigerian Navy started construction on the land in question without seeking due approval from the state government, no structural, architectural, electrical or even site analysis approvals have been given,” Inyang stated.
Reacting further, Prof Inyang explained that “The Calabar urban development plan does not show that a commercial development can fit in there. All around the location are government offices such as Accountant General, Town planning, Surveyor General, CRGIA, Stadium, Oando , etc.
A hotel at the location will not fit in there. Building a 5 star hotel at that location serve as a security risk especially when Governor’s Office can be viewed from the hotel.
The state building regulations must be respected and rule of law must be observed
Several notices of stop work have been served and commissioner of land held meetings with the Commandant, Rear Admiral Okeke, all to no avail, Inyang stressed.
The lands Commissioner posited further that “confiscating state land under any guise and by which ever establishments and agencies, private or public cannot be tolerated. The state has in time past allocated several plots of land to Navy. We are ready to give Navy an alternative land for the hotel but not the present location.”
Inyang called on the Navy, other federal agencies and establishments in the state to always “respect the laws of Cross River,” and that the issue was already pending before a court of competent jurisdiction for determination.
Prof Inyang said that as Government that respect the rule of law, the Cross River Government decided “to go to court and secured injunction order on the development yet the Navy continued with impunity. We have no alternative than to sealed off the place,” the Commissioner for Lands, revealed.
Nigerian Navy has contravened Cross River State laws with impunity. This is unbecoming of a military institution,” Inyang lamented.
He also disclosed that the Nigerian Navy should do the proper thing and meet with the ministry of Land and town planing to dialogue.
According to him the state will continue to accommodate the navy but advise them to observe building regulations and town planning laws.
“We call on all professional bodies like Council of Registers Engineers in Nigeria COREN, Town Planners etc to rise to the challenge by urging Navy to obey extant laws of the state for a peaceful co-existence” the commissioner added
Also speaking, The Director of Town planing Mr Ayi Akiba, confirmed that there’s is a revocation letter which has been issued by the lands Department, adding, he stated , “It is true that the structure hasn’t received the approval of town planning whose duty is to approve such development.”
He further stated that “by carrying out the construction of the building without the approval of the town planing, the Nigerian Navy have contravened the relevant provision of both the state law and the national law which does not even exempt government itself from commencing any development without prior approval of the town planing department”.
I am not a journalist, but I understand 'balance and objectivity' as part of the hallmark of journalism. How come, the reporter or the author of the article never deemed it necessary to hear the side of the Navy before rushing into publication of this article? To what end?
The structures in the picture were taken from the Navy Officers Mess land beside U.J Esuene Stadium. Is Transcorp Hotel on the oplosite side not closer to the govt House? How come is transcorp not constituting security risk?
How did the commissioner know that Navy is building a 5 – Star Hotel since Navy has not submitted architectural drawings for approval?
Navy has been in undisturbed possession on the 2 parcels of land for well over 40 years, how come is under Governor Ayade that CRSG suddenly realised that Navy is constituting nuisance by developing everywhere in Calabar?
Governor Ayade should rather be grateful to the Chief of the Naval Staff, V/Adm Ibok E. Ibas for attracting development to the State rather than using the state apparatus to wage war in furtherance of selfish ambitions.
I have several questions to ask but let me stop here.