Recently the Abia State government through its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal put in motion the verification of property documents in the state. All stakeholders and right thinking Abians have described the initative as a welcome development and a true demonstration of Governor Theodore Orji’s promise to pursue the state’s urban programme.
The initiative will no doubt address the current impunity and flagrant abuse and conversion of allocated spaces to other uses contrary to approved government plans. This ugly situation over the years has become a source of concern to the state government and well meaning Abians who witness on daily basis, the alteration of the original master plan. For example many residential places have been converted to lock up shops, churches, filling stations and schools.
The outgoing commissioner for physical planning and urban renewal, Mazi Donatus Okorie who addressed a press conference in Umuahia said that his ministry will address the demeaning and disorderly settlements in our urban centres. He regretted that majority of developers unilaterally change their advance buildings in the certificate of occupancy without the consent of government thereby making the cities unconducive for dwellers. The exercise will also establish a data base for all landed property within the state and to provide information of landed properties.
The exercise is geared towards implementation of the well thought out plan in line with the statutory functions and provisions of Abia State Urban and Regional Planning Board and Planning Authority law cap 40 of the laws of Abia State of 1999/2000 in addition to the Land Use Act of 2004. The Land Use Act of 2004 section 5 (e and f) as well as section 43, clearly empowers the governor to revoke or otherwise in respect of any certificate of occupancy.
The Land Use Act spell out that no person in urban area encroaches, obstructs, cultivates or do any harm in relation to any land which is not the subject of the right of occupancy or licence lawfully held by him or in respect of which he has received the permission of the governor to enter and erect or improve prior to that granted to him in the right of occupancy.
Property owners are to cooperate with the company appointed by government to handle the proposed clause verification by providing them with useful information about their property while government sanitises the state. Contrary to the news making the rounds, the exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody rather it is aimed at ensuring that the urban planning in the state is in line with the globally acceptable best practices since Abia is part of the global village.
One will now begin to appreciate that the creation of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal by Governor Orji is aimed at beautifying the sate as well as making it habitable. True to his words, the governor is determined to leave the state better than he met it, judging from the legacy projects he has embarked upon. One is bold to say that the present administration is also out to streamline business activities in the state with the relocation of timer industrial market, spare part dealers, with mechanics to Ohiya/ Nsugbe/ Umugo industrial clusters and building new Modern Market at Ubani Ibeku. These and others are eloquent testimonies that Governor Orji is out to change the face of Abia.
It is true that the development programmes of the governor may affect some people economically, but the long time benefits, outweighs whatever set back one might have experienced.
We must also commend the brilliant action of the outgoing commissioner for physical planning urban renewal, Mazi Donatus Okorie, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sir Chindi Oluoha and directors in the Ministry for working hard to ensure that the robust urban renewal initiative of the present administration is implemented.
On the other hand, Abians should corporate to ensure that the good programmes and policies of the present administration are implemented for the good of all.