LAGOS JUNE 13TH (URHOBOTODAY) – A civil society group, the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, (CENTREP), has described as executive rascality the demolition of some structures termed ‘illegal’ in some parts of Delta State by the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s led administration.
Specifically, the group said the demolition of 65 residential buildings in Ifiekporo community in Warri South Local Government Area of the state is “pure injustice” being meted out to Deltans by the Uduaghan Administration.
The group alleged that the Delta State Sanitation Task Force led by the Environment Commissioner, Chief Frank Omare, demolished the buildings without due process or a court order.
The group said the action of the state government has made over 200 families homeless.
The state government had justified its action, saying the affected buildings were built on an expanse of land reserved for use as burial site for monarchs in the state.
But CENTREP said it was barbaric and naked show of executive rascality for the state government to embark on sure adventure.
In a statement issued to condemn the action of the state government, the group said the demolished buildings were duly covered with approved building plans after they were registered by their owners through the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development.
The group said the government which ought to ensure security and welfare of the people in accordance with Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) was the one trampling on the people unjustly and embarking on act capable of igniting unrest in the state.
While blaming the state government for failing to protect the owners of the buildings from fraudulent land speculators who may have sold the land to them, CENTREP accused officials of the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development as well as the fraudulent land speculators at Ifiekporo town for causing the innocent and unsuspecting land developers/owners pains.
The statement signed by the Executive Director of the group, Oghenejabor Ikimi, read in part; “The attention of members of the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, (CENTREP), has been drawn to the recent demolition of over 65 residential buildings by the Delta State Sanitation Task Force led by the Environment Commissioner, Chief Frank Omare, at Ifiekporo Town in the Warri South Local Government Area of the State without due process or a court order under the pretext that the said houses were built on an expanse of land reserved for use as a burial site for monarchs and we condemn same as barbaric and a naked show of executive rascality.
“We are not oblivious of the fact that over 200 families were rendered homeless in one swoop without notice or due process as a result of the above inaction of Government and we call on the State Government to adequately compensate the victims without delay as information reaching us indicates that the above demolished residential buildings were duly covered with approved building plans after the said buildings were registered by their owners through the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development.
“If we may ask, was it not the duty of the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development to have alerted land developers at the point of applying for the approval of their proposed buildings that the land in question was encumbered or that same was reserved as a burial ground for monarchs and a heritage site for that matter?
“Was it not incumbent on the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development as a Ministry to protect prospective land developers from the unwholesome activities of land speculators through the provision of a data base of all publicly acquired lands in the state as done in Lagos State and other civilised climes?
“Why did the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development through its Circle Office collect building approval fees from concerned landowners after inspection? Or was it not incumbent on the said Ministry officials to have inspected the land in question before approval?
“These and many other questions have been left unanswered by officials of the above Ministry and the Delta State Government.
“Until the above salient questions and many others are answered, the defence of State Government that the demolished buildings were a product of illegality pales to insignificant as they provided the enabling environment in the first place for the above illegality to thrive.
“We like to reiterate here that it is the primary responsibility of Government to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens in accordance with Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“In the instant case, the Delta State Government failed woefully to protect the above land developers from fraudulent land speculators and indeed joined officials of the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development and fraudulent land speculators at Ifiekporo town to cause the above innocent and unsuspecting land developers/owners pains.
“The above action of the State Government no doubt is an act of pure injustice and we call on the State Government to immediately compensate the above victims as justice delayed is justice denied.”