Property owners in the commercial city of Abia State, Aba have been directed to leverage the 90-day-moratorium given by the governor of the State, Alex Otti to renew or acquire their building permits to avoid unnecessary losses.
This was stated in a statement by the Director-General, Greater Aba Development Agency, Uche Ukeje.
Ukeje gave the directive on Friday in Aba, while addressing a press conference to announce the commencement of the moratorium.
The DG noted that the briefing was to introduce the programme as approved by the Governor Otti for Aba.
According to Ukeje, the period of the moratorium is from September 10 to December 9.
“There had never been a Master Plan for Aba. But as part of the process of getting one, the State needed to take stock of what it had.
“Ordinarily, when you erect your building without an approved plan, when you want to regularize it, there are penalties. And there are things that come with that regularization.
“But in his wisdom and magnanimity, the Governor has brought Christmas early to the city of Aba.
“He is offering a 90-day moratorium for anyone who has a commercial or residential building that was built without approval to come in and get it approved.”
The DG stated that the basic idea of the exercise was the collection of data. And not the generation of funds for the State.
Ukeje said people would be billed according to the time they built their houses. And not with the current rates for everyone.
The DG said the State needed the building data to plan. He noted that it was difficult in the modern world to plan without data.
He said, “If you want to site hospitals, schools, or any other facility, be it social or financial, the first question they will ask you is what is your market, who are you serving?
“And as it is today, we don’t have that data because most of the things happen outside the system.
“So, what we are doing is basically to provide the government with the information. We need to serve the people better,” he added.
Ukeje noted that the 90-day moratorium was for people who had property. They are to go to Town Planning Authorities in Aba North and Aba South, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, and Obingwa to get the cost of their building permits.
He maintained that asset owners would be required to pay into Abia State Government’s account. And thereafter, return with proof of payment for documentation.
The DG pointed out that three phone lines have been provided for exercise. He said the lines are for people to report officials who might want to overreach asset owners for their own gains during the exercise.
“The public are advised not to pay any money to any account that is not Abia IGR account.
“And do not offer bribe to any of our officers.
“In fact, if we see you giving money to any of our officers, we will arrest the person and arrest you too,” Ukeje said.
source: NAN
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