Anambra threatens to demolish buildings without approval

Structures built by uncertified developers or quack builders across Anambra State face demolition as the state intensifies efforts to curb the rising incidents of building collapses attributed to poor construction practices.

The Chairman and Managing Director of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Chike Maduekwe, announced this during an inspection tour in Abatete, Uke, and Umuoji communities in Idemili North Local Government Area of the State on Monday.

Maduekwe also warned individuals falsely claiming to be members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and extorting money from owners of illegal structures marked for demolition, urging them to desist from such fraudulent activities.

Reports indicate that over 20 buildings, including residential, commercial, and school structures, have collapsed in the state over the past seven months, resulting in more than 25 deaths and numerous injuries.

The majority of these incidents have been linked to constructions carried out by unqualified individuals, according to COREN and other certified building agencies.

During the inspection tour, the ASPPB Chairman observed that developers who had already been issued several notices with inscriptions “to stop work”, were still working and also threatening, harassing and assaulting the agency’s staff whenever they went on inspection.

He told the developers that the building sector must be sanitised and people must show their building permits, even as he maintained that the window period of August 1 to October 31 has been provided as a period of grace without penalty, for developers to tidy up and present their permits.

He insisted that when the grace period elapses, any structure without a building permit will be pulled down, and the owner will be charged to court.

He said, “Following the constant collapse of buildings in the state, Anambra State Government has embarked on ‘Operation show your building permit’ aimed at sanitising the sector. Mr Governor has told us that we should not allow any person to intimidate any government worker anymore, and we want to send out a message to the developers. Please don’t think the government is playing.

“People are living as if we are in a lawless society. That period is over. We will no longer tolerate all those kinds of impunity where people build and say nothing will happen.

“Every building in the state without approval has been suspended, and every approval given to developers has been demanded revalidation for the building permit because of lapses observed.

“A lot of people are taking government for granted by commencing buildings without permit. Most times, they avoid getting permits either because the land is in dispute or they don’t have the proper documents. On several occasions, our staff were harassed and threatened with all kinds of thugs. A few days ago, when they came for their official assignment at a site, they were chased away.

“The government is there for the welfare of the people, developers must operate according to the law from now on and any building started without approval must be demolished because there have been enough signals and messages to the people but they kept ignoring them. We have commenced the exercise and will move to several places.

“There are government regulations in building which have stated clearly that you can not build anything again in this state without approval. If you start it, it will be razed down. The cost of demolition is high, and the government instructed that any defaulter would be arrested and charged to court.”