Anambra Government Insists on Demolition Deadline as Crackdown on Illegal Structures Intensifies in Nnewi
By Chukwuka Ugokwe
The Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu, has declared that the deadline issued for the removal of illegal structures and shanties within the Nnewi metropolis remains sacrosanct and will not be extended.
Barr. Ojukwu made this known on June 11 while addressing journalists during an inspection visit to a proposed development site designated by the Anambra State Government along the Eme Court Road axis in Nnewi.
According to the commissioner, the enforcement action is in line with the directive of the Governor of Anambra State and forms part of ongoing efforts to restore order and promote sustainable urban development across the state.
“At the expiration of the notices issued to affected property owners, all illegal structures and shanties will be removed in accordance with the law. My advice to those concerned is to take the notices seriously, as the governor is known for implementing policies and directives decisively,” he stated.
Barr. Ojukwu described the two-week ultimatum granted to affected occupants and property owners as fair, reasonable, and final, reiterating his commitment to ensuring full compliance with the governor’s directive without exception.
He further appealed to residents and stakeholders to support the initiative, emphasizing that it is aimed at fostering orderly physical development and enhancing the aesthetic and environmental standards of urban centres across the state.
The commissioner also announced that the ministry would, in due course, commence the statewide enforcement exercise tagged “Operation Show Your Physical Planning Permit,” aimed at strengthening compliance with physical planning regulations.
During the inspection, Barr. Ojukwu, accompanied by members of his team, supervised the continued identification and marking of illegal structures as well as the issuance of removal notices in several affected areas, including Nkwo Market, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Akamili, and Uruagu.
Reaffirming the government’s determination to rid urban centres of unauthorized developments, the commissioner stated that the “Operation Zero Shanties” exercise would be sustained to eliminate encroachment on public spaces and address the construction of structures beneath high-tension power lines, within designated setbacks, and in other environmentally hazardous and unauthorized locations.
He stressed that the exercise is intended to ensure public safety, enhance environmental sustainability, and promote orderly physical planning in line with the administration’s urban renewal agenda.
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