Enugu to enforce building completion certification

NO longer ready to tolerate  the distortion in approved buildings for  various layouts, Enugu State government said at the weekend it would begin  enforcement of building completion certificate in the state.

 State Commissioner for Capital Territory Development Authority, Mr

Emmanuel Omeje, who announced this to newsmen, said government was not comfortable the way and manner  residents jettison approved building plans in the state.

The Commissioner, who said that government designed specific layouts and the nature of buildings that could be erected on them –whether commercial or residential, disclosed that such rules were grossly violated daily by developers in the state in the quest for money.

“We will not continue to condone this. We will enforce the order on compulsory show of certificate for building completion so as to sanitize the state of the illegality that has gone over the years. We may be lenient on those buildings that had existed before this Ministry was created. But there is no building in the state that did not receive endorsement from the government before it was erected.

Anybody who has built outside the recommendation of this Ministry has run foul of the law and we are going to apply the relevant laws to

ensure that we do the right thing”, the Commissioner warned.

 He stated that refusal to abide by government approved building plans had endangered many lives in the past, citing the case at Coal Camp Quarters, where residents have consistently defiled government order not to built structures along the hills.

“The hills caved in last year and many buildings were covered. We lost a pregnant woman and many house hold property. That was the extent to what these illegalities can cause. When we say that a place should not be developed more than a storey building, there is a reason for it.

 It could be because of the soil texture among others, but people will come here and get approval to build; they will in turn go and do whatever they want to. This must stop because of the health implications”, he said.

 Omeje said that demolition of illegal structures would continue in the state and warned those who return to the areas after they had been demolished to desist, as government may start prosecution against them.

He said that rate of accident had reduced in the state following

compliance with traffic rules and regulations, even as he called on

residents to assist the ministry by ensuring compliance with traffic

rules among others while on the road.