Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia has threatened to pull down 1,800 buildings allegedly built on sewer lanes in Aba, the economic hub of the state.
Orji issued the threat on Monday in Umuahia, while briefing newsmen on the plans by his administration to transform the commercial town.
He said that efforts so far made to build the city had been stalled by flooding, which resulted from the blocking of drains and sewer lanes.
The governor said, “The problem of Aba is flooding so for you to succeed in developing the city you have to do flood control.
“An aerial and land survey had been conducted and 1,800 houses are built on drainage.''?
Orji alleged that the owners did not have approvals before erecting the structures and charged them to ‘’look for alternatives elsewhere''.
He said that government would open up all the drains for free-flow of rain water and also begin massive road construction in the city at the end of the rains.
He said that the government had contacted the Niger Delta Development Commission to intervene in the rehabilitation of the deplorable Obohia Road.
Although he described the revenue generated from Aba as ‘’paltry,’’ he said?that ‘’no government can afford to neglect Aba’’ because of its economic relevance to the state.
‘’The highest wage bill in the local government system is from Aba North and Aba South local government areas, while government gets the least revenue from the areas,’’ Orji said.
He gave the assurance that the construction of the proposed waste recycling plant in Aba would soon begin.
The governor also spoke on the dilapidated Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway,and said,?‘’the Abia portion of the road is the worse.’’
‘’We have also contacted the Federal Government and Ministry of Works over the poor condition of the road and they have promised to do something,’’ he said.
He said that the newly inaugurated Abia Road Maintenance Agency had been given the marching order to fix all the potholes in different parts of the state.
He explained that the government had directed that remedial measures be taken to salvage the Isuikwuato-ABSU Road from being severed by gully. (NAN)