Following the expiration of the two-week ultimatum given by the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa for owners of buildings obstructing flood plains and natural water channels at the Lokogoma District to evacuate such properties, removal of the affected structures commenced today.
Enforcement team of the Department of Development Control began the removal exercise from the IPENT II Estate of the District.
The Director, Department of Development Control TPL Mukhtar Galadima said that the exercise may last for one month considering the difficult terrain their equipment will have to navigate through. He also said that a total of 121 structures will be removed. These structures include whole buildings, fences and illegal attachments.
He also said that legal action might be taken against offending developers as the Department is working very closely with the Legal Secretariat of the FCTA to consider its legal options. What is however certain, according to Mr Galadima is that the offending developers will not go scot-free.
The Director revealed that all the structures being removed had received stop-work and demolition notices long before the exercise commenced today, but the developers ignored such warnings. The exercise he further said will be carried out in other mass housing districts of Kafe and karsana where such violations also exist.
It may be recalled that the Permanent Secretary had paid an unscheduled visit to the Lokogoma District late last month following a heavy rainfall which reportedly claimed one life. He therefore gave a two week notice for all structures on flood plains and water channels to be removed by the Department of Development Control.
Lokogoma District is situated in an area through which Rivers Wumba and Kabusa navigate through. However, several developers constructed houses on flood plains and water channels which often lead to severe flooding that affected lives and property.
Following series of meetings with the residents and an extensive public enlightenment campaign, residents of the various estates endorsed the action by the FCTA.
