GIVE YOUR BUILDINGS FACELIFT OR FACE CONSEQUENCES GOVT. TELLS UMUAHIA LANDLORDS

Landlords in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, whose buildings need a facelift or routine maintenance have been advised to give their buildings facelift within the next four weeks or face the consequences.

The Abia state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu made this known on Monday, at Government House Umuahia, during the weekly State Executive Council press briefing.

According to the Commissioner, these buildings are defacing the state capital and should not be left like that.

“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.

He said that, 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 will move 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” Prince Kanu stated.

Prince Kanu further informed that, government has observed with dismay the illegal parking of commercial buses on city roads, adding that, Illegal parking of commercial vehicles on the streets in Umuahia is now prohibited.

“The state government has observed with dismay the illegal parking of commercial buses on city roads.

“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.

The Commissioner, who recalled that the State Ministry of Transport quickly installed some temporary charging stations for the electric buses, prior to offering free bus services to Abians, disclosed that with the arrival of more electric bus charging stations, the number of charging stations around the state is going to be ramped up.

“This also follows the installation of a two MVA// 33/0.415 kV distribution substation at Umuahia Central Bus Terminal.

“With these developments, all the necessary supporting infrastructure are being put in place to ensure a smooth and hitch-free commencement of full bus services .

“The substation has reached about 80% completion rate. So, from all indications, all hands are on deck to ensure that at the end of the month, the project is handed over to the State Government” Prince Kanu stated.

In his contributions, the General Manager of Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), Mr Kingsley Agomuo noted 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.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha were present at the press briefing.