The Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, has issued a 30-day notice to all owners of properties erected along waterways.
Also affected by the Public Service Announcement signed by the Executive Chairman of the ECTDA, Dr. Josef Onoh, are street traders, hawkers and night club owners.
The agency said in the statement made available to journalists on Sunday that it would not shirk in its responsibility of restoring sanity in the State capital.
Onoh said the warning became imperative owing to incidents of flooding occasioned by the rainy season and compounded by the blocked drainages in Enugu metropolis.
He lamented that “buildings are collapsing rampantly due to the blocked waterways.”
Onoh said “In the face of this, therefore, notice is hereby given to all building owners whose structures were built on waterways, in all estates especially in Independence layout, GRA, among others areas which cumulatively forms the Enugu City master plan, to quietly remove them.
“They should liaise with the state ministry of works, or the state ministry of environment to find alternatives to salvage their properties.
“All submissions should be made to the ministry of Environment and Ministry of works within 30 days of this announcement. Any property owner who fails to abide by this announcement will have his property demolished.
“Therefore, to avoid public outcry, owners of the affected properties are requested to comply with this candid directive within 30 days of this notice.”
The agency did not spare street traders as it warned them to vacate the streets within 30 days or face its wrath.
“Subsequently, notice is further given to all street traders using either wheel barrow, makeshift tables or other forms of street nuisance that constitute blockages in Abakpa, Garriki, Agbani road, Uwani, Holy Ghost, Coal camp, Emene, Eke-Obinagu and other places, to within the same 30 days vacate the streets or face the wrath of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority.
“Peculiar notice is hereby given to hawkers who have occupied Mayor and environs, Amaechi road and other adjourning streets along Agbani road; Nike road, Amuri road, Isieke Street, Oraukwu Street, Convent Avenue, Nkpor Street, Odorokuko, College road, Ugbene road, all in Abakpa whose wastes block drainages, to vacate the streets within 30 days.
“All container shops along different streets of Trans Ekulu, Obiagu, Emene, and precisely the street traders along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway at Eke-Obinagu are hereby given notice to clear from the roads within 30 days from the date of this announcement,” Onoh warned.
He equally declared that “all Night clubs constituting nuisances along Igboeze Street in Independence lay out, particularly Cubaña and Rewind Nights clubs that have turned the residential area into street trading, Prostitution Avenue and a keke hub are hereby compelled to abate the nuisances forthwith. Failure of these clubs to abate the nuisances within 30 days from this notice will result in immediate and permanent shut down of these premises.
“The Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority Task force shall henceforth commence systematic weekly raids of defaulters with heavy penalties. It should be noted that no individual or group is above the law and this agency will enforce every single power within the ambit of the law to suppress any resistance to violators of law.”
