By CHARLES IWUOHA

Ebonyi state government has begun the demolition of illegal buildings and shanties in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Thursday.

The state Commissioner, Ministry of Capital City Development , Hon. Inyima Sunday, who attributed the demolition as plan to give the state capital a befitting facelift.

The demolition exercise began from Hausa Quarters to Leech Street and Hilltop Junction at Water Works, where shanties were pulled down.

Addressing journalists, Commissioner Inyima stated that the State Metropolis is rapidly transforming into a city, hence the need to demolish illegal structures to preserve the city’s image.

He further revealed that notices and removal order had been issued by successive administrations, including the current administration led by Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.

According to him, “Notices had been given by successive administrations before the current administration of Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru.

“When we came on board, and last year, around November, we issued notices and removal orders to all the owners of these batchers and makeshift buildings, and by December, we repeated the reminder that they should remove them.”

“Abakaliki has grown into a metropolis like any other city, and we cannot continue to condone this.

“The flyover you are seeing here is flyover from government house and the road you are having here, takes you to Ebonyi State House of Assembly, what of cases, we have a high profile personality that visited the State and wants to go to house of Assembly, will it be good to showcase batchers along the road, no! That is why we insisted that on their removal and we have come to help them remove it,” Inyima said.

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