The Chairman of Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Hon. Anietie Eka, has reiterated the commission’s resolve to restore the original master plan of Uyo Capital.
Hon. Eka made this known when the Editor-In-Chief of Weekly Real News, Pastor UduakAbasi Ikpat, on Thursday, paid him an official visit in his office in Uyo, the state capital.
He said that it had become imperative to restore the city’s original master plan and restore its status as the cleanest and greenest city in Nigeria.
Eka assured that UCCDA under his watch is determined to discharge its duties with integrity, while shunning ethnic and parochial sentiments in the interest of the state.
He said that the commission has a duty under “morality and good conscience’’ to ensure that the right things were done.
“There is a master plan for Uyo but, unfortunately, the distortion of the master plan is happening at a very fast rate.
“We have situations where people are building houses without approved plans, erecting commercial houses in residential neighbourhoods; building houses on flood plains and not respecting the boundary lines between highways, roads and clearance, as stipulated in the Federal Highway code.
“UCCDA under my watch is specifically determined to reverse the degeneration of the Uyo city.
“So, because of the required urgency at this point; alongside with me, are men of character, integrity, honour and quality who have been put together to address this trend.
“We have a duty to reverse the city’s degeneration that is occurring and this will involve, among other things, pulling down any building that is on flood plains,” he said.
He also assured that UCCDA under his watch, will ensure that residents pay development control levies and approval plan levies, while obtaining proper approvals for appropriate buildings in appropriate locations.
The Chairman, however, reiterated his resolve to embark on structure demolition without the commission’s approval, adding that the right thing must be done all the same.
“As far as UCCDA is concerned, the right thing must be done, for if we allow people to build houses where there are drainage channels, under high tension cables, on transmission lines or close to major roads, the city will degenerate.
“This will make crime to increase, while policing of criminality will be difficult,” he added.
Responding, Pastor UduakAbasi Ikpat, Editor-In-Chief of Weekly Real News, assured the UCCDA chairman of the medium’s readiness to deliver on its mandate in dessiminating information to the public, as well as partnering with the commission to achieving its goals.
“As you know, ours is to help government agencies and commissions to dessiminate useful information to the public.
“We cannot afford to fail in this aspect because this, for us, is the only way our society can grow. So, we will partner with you and other government agencies to deliver on the mandate,” he said.
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