Kogi State Town Planning and Development Board has commenced the demolition of illegal structures obstructing water channels and access roads in the capital city, Lokoja and its environs.
The acting General Manager of the state Town Planning and Development Board (TPDB), Mr Isah Aliu disclosed
this at the commencement of the exercise in Lokoja at the weekend, saying that the move was to ensure free flow
of water through drainages and canals as well as enhance traffic flow on major roads in the state.
Aliu said the move had become necessary in view of the increasing gridlock in Lokoja township roads especially, Ganaja Road which he noted, had led to avoidable auto crashes and difficult vehicular movement recently.
He said that one of such structures in that effect in Phase II area of Lokoja was completely pulled down by the board after several warnings to the landlord.
Aliyu stressed further that government was poised to bring relief to motorists by ensuring smooth flow of traffic across the major roads in the capital city, adding that it would be unfair for an individual to use his structure to obstruct and add pressure on the roads.
However,the Acting General Manager appealed to the people to be law abiding while reiterating the need for them
to get the necessary approval from the board before erecting structures in the capital city.
He warned that failure of landlords to obtain necessary approvals before embarking on development of structures in Lokoja would lead to the demolition of such structures.
A community leader that simply wanted to be called as Mohammed, while applauding the move of the board in that
direction said that they had made several efforts to persuade the owner of one of such structures in their area from
continuing with his project, “but all pleas fell on deaf ears”.
He said the prompt action of the board is a welcome development that would further sensitize the public on the dangers of such actions in classified areas.
Credits: Labaran Tijani | Nigerian Pilot
