Abia State government has commenced demolition of unapproved and illegally erected structures, to ensure compliance to cities’ master plan and town planning laws.
  
Town Planning Authorities of Osisioma Ngwa, Obingwa, Aba North, Aba South and Ugwunagbo Local Councils commenced the exercise, last weekend, and sealed unapproved ones at Aba, the state’s main industrial and commercial hub. 
  
Some structures sealed were Petroleum Filling Station at Umuojima Junction, Aba-Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, 26 lock-up stores at Ayaba-Umueze built under high-tension electric wire, Okpu-Umuobo Comprehensive Secondary School allegedly built by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) with a mini-stadium in Osisioma without approval.
  
Executive Secretary, Osisioma Town Planning Authority, Chigoziri Ahaiwe, who spoke on the exercise, told newsmen that owners of the demolished and sealed structures had no approvals. 
  
He said: “If we all desire good cities, we must jointly sanitise it. We appeal to our people to always come to appropriate authorities to get approval before putting their money to construct what is not permitted in certain areas.  
  
“There are areas where we can’t allow anybody to site a petrol filling station.
 
“We are not saying they should not build anything there, but we have different things we approve for certain areas.  
  
“Subsequent state administrations had at various times issued threats of demolition and prosecution of defaulters, but failed to effect all or selectively did so, especially those erected by top government officials and those whose owners are referred in some quarters as ‘untouchables’.”
  
The Executive Secretary said the issue of illegal erection of buildings and structures, including shanties were as old as the state.
  
According to him, enforcing master plan and town planning laws would require a political will by government, without minding the status of the defaulters hence, without deferring punishments, success would remain a mirage.