In line with it’s determined efforts to improve on the aesthetics of the capital city Landlords in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, whose buildings need a facelift or routine maintenance have been directed to give their buildings facelift within the next four weeks or face the consequences.
Abia state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu who handed down the directive on Monday, at Government House Umuahia, while briefing Newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting noted with dismay that such buildings are defacing the state capital.
“The State Government has observed with dismay that many landlords have not carried out routine maintenance or face lifts to their buildings for years.
“These buildings currently deface the city, thereby setting back efforts of the state government to beautify Umuahia and give it the look and feel of a capital city.
“Consequently, the state government, through the UCDA, is advising all landlords whose buildings need a facelift or routine maintenance to do so within the next four weeks from the date of this announcement.
“Landlords who are disobeying this directive will face the consequences” Prince Kanu stated.
According to him, in line with the Umuahia Renewal and Beautification Programme of the state governments to make Umuahia look like a befitting capital city, a number of steps have been taken to ensure the Renewal Programme moves on without further delay.
“First among these steps is planting trees by some major streets in the state capital, preparing and repainting the kerbs, installation of perimeter fences, and installation of road signs, among others.
“As a compassionate government, residents of Umuahia have been given more than enough time to remove the shanties and illegal projections in buildings around the city.
“The state government, through the UCDA, is now poised to enforce this directive. Landlords with shanties or projections in front of their houses have been advised to comply with this directive or be ready to face the wrath of the law” he stated.
Prince Kanu further expressed concern over the illegal parking of commercial buses on city roads and warned that Illegal parking of commercial vehicles on the streets in Umuahia is henceforth prohibited.
“All commercial bus operators involved in this unwholesome act are advised to desist from this act as culprits will have their vehicles impounded” Prince Kanu stated.
Contributing, the General Manager of Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Mr Kingsley Agomuo pointed out that parking on the streets is creating unnecessary traffic and congestion within the city.
“We’ve spoken to them last year that they should move all these buses into the parks and then from there, they can now come to their various loading points to load passengers.
“If they move their vehicles away from there, it will create easy movement and easy traffic within the urban centre” Mr. Agomuo stated.
