The Ministry of Capital City and Urban Development in Ebonyi State has begun the demolition of shanties and other illegal structures in the Abakaliki metropolitan area.
The demolition of the illegal structures began early hours of Thursday at Murtala Mohammed layout, Hausa Quarters in Abakaliki capital city.
The ministry which was working on the directive of state government led by Governor Francis Nwifuru, moved to the Water Works and Leach Roads in Abakaliki and proceeded with the demolition exercise.
Many shanties and other illegal structures were pulled down by the state government with bulldozers.
The State Commissioner for the Capital City and Urban Development, Chief Sunday Inyima was sighted supervising the demolition exercise in the company of the taskforce team from his office and security operatives.
In an interview with journalists, Inyima explained that before the demolition exercise, his office had ordered the removal of shanties and other illegal structures in the Abakaliki municipal area.
He expressed disappointment over the negligence of the demolition victims to the state government after his office notified them to remove all the shanties and illegal structures within the streets of Abakaliki capital city since "20th November 2023."
He said the demolition exercise would be continued by the state government to salvage the original development plan and aesthetic structure of the Abakaliki capital territory.
"All the containers in the major streets must be removed. They are turning here to shanty city and we don't like it.
"You can see on the wall, on 20th November 2023, we gave them notice to remove the illegal structures and shanties mounted along the streets but none of them heeded the order," the Commissioner clarified.
Victor Nwegede.
