By Sylvia Tochukwu-Ngige
The Awka Capital Territory Development Agency, ACTDA, has intensified its enforcement operations with the demolition of illegal structures and a stern warning to developers flouting planning laws in the capital city.
The enforcement exercise, carried out by the ACTDA Enforcement Team, covered Immigration Road off the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, beside Lube Afri Petrol Station, and Nibo, off HRH Ezike Road.
Officials of the agency said they discovered multiple violations during the operation. These included construction under high tension power lines, destruction of government facilities, building on approved road setbacks, and illegal encroachment on access roads through the erection of blocks of shops without approval.
According to ACTDA, one developer had been served a stop-work notice on Monday for encroaching on an access road and erecting shops illegally. The developer allegedly ignored the notice and continued with construction, prompting the agency’s action.
Speaking on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Dr. Ossy Onuko, said the agency would no longer tolerate disorder in the capital territory.
“ACTDA will not condone anyhowness in Awka Capital Territory,” Dr. Onuko stated. “Any structure that violates planning laws, obstructs road expansion, or endangers human lives will be removed. Our duty is to protect lives and safeguard public infrastructure.”
The agency urged developers and landowners to visit its office for proper approval and technical guidance before commencing any project. It said compliance with the Awka Capital Territory Master Plan was necessary to avoid losses and ensure orderly development.
ACTDA reaffirmed its commitment to creating a safe, orderly, and beautiful capital city, and called on residents to cooperate with enforcement officers and report illegal developments within their communities.
The latest operation is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to rid Awka and its environs of illegal structures and ensure that development in the capital territory meets approved standards.
