Truth about illegal structures demolition in Aba

SIR: The party, All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA), in Abia State has accused the Abia Government of selective destruction of illegal structures in Aba, saying it was vindictive and targeted at their members. APGA said that it was the way the government of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was paying back Aba people and APGA people who did not vote for the PDP.

I make bold to say that this allegation by APGA is an ill-conceived aggression against a government that is genuinely seeking to ameliorate the bad situation of infrastructural decay of Aba, which has been a major sentiment for a long time now. There is no selective pattern in the demolition exercise. There is no target. What is being destroyed is any illegal structure that contravenes town planning regulations.

If the government of Abia should behave in relation to who voted or did not vote for PDP, it will not start its developmental work in Aba at all in view of the voting pattern in the elections. But, to us, Aba is beyond the voting trend of one election. Aba is beyond the election. By developing Aba, the governor is developing a place that is home to all Nigerians and not a place that is home only to APGA people.

The spirit of the Aba Urban Renewal Drive is to change the narrative of Aba from a city of a lamentable meltdown to a modern city of order and decency. The governor is driving the agenda to reclaim the reputation of the city as the commercial hub of Nigeria, an epicentre of commerce and industry.

As far back as the time of Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, consultants engaged to understudy the problem of Aba recommended that not less than 2, 500 illegal houses built against flood flow must be pulled down to sanitise the city so that there will be free flow of flood and storm water. But, this was not implemented. The only difference now is that somebody has the will based on the imperative need to do the right thing and administer an existing town and country act as regards town planning.

We appeal to the Aba residents to continue to show understanding and cooperation with government by putting up with the temporary inconveniences of traffic arising from the roads under construction. The magic that we all need now is patience.

• Godwin Adindu,
Abia State