Anxiety as Anambra begins reclamation of public land

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The Anambra State Government has intensified efforts to reclaim public land, restore the state’s original master plan and enforce physical planning regulations.

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This is evident in the commencement of the third phase of the operation to restore the masterplan, as the state reaffirms its commitment to eliminating shanties and unauthorised structures across the state.

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The operation tagged, ‘Show your building permit’, is being carried out by the state ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, targeting major commercial hubs and communities across the state.

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The government said such is aimed at restoring order, enhancing environmental sustainability, and promoting planned urban growth.

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Leading the exercise which began at Ogbunike in the Oyi Local Government Area of the state during the weekend, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, said the enforcement drive reflects the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s commitment to building orderly, liveable and economically vibrant cities through strict compliance with approved development standards.

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South-East PUNCH gathered that a second phase of the enforcement exercise had already been carried out in Nnewi, where Ojukwu emphasised that the ongoing exercise was part of the government’s broader urban regeneration agenda.

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Some properties were marked for demolition with the issuance of demolition notices by officials of the ministry, who gave affected owners a 14-day deadline to remove the structures violating physical planning regulations, including the required nine-metre setback from road corridors.

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At the Plywood Market in Ogbunike, the commissioner supervised actions to reclaim government land allegedly encroached upon by developers, warning that public property would no longer be converted for private use in violation of extant laws.

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He disclosed that “Operation show your physical planning permit, seeks to enforce compliance with approved planning regulations and reclaim encroached public spaces.”

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He added, “The exercise reflects the Anambra State government’s commitment to build a modern, liveable, and investment-friendly state anchored on strict physical planning standards.

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”These illegal developments have contributed significantly to flooding, traffic congestion, insecurity, and environmental degradation in major urban centres across the state”.

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The enforcement team also visited the Building Materials Market, Ogidi, where an illegal structure under construction had already collapsed on a major drainage channel.

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Ojukwu halted further work on the site, stressing that developments on drainage alignments posed serious environmental and public safety risks.

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Further inspections in Ogidi uncovered more cases of non-compliance, including structures that failed to observe approved setbacks and other physical planning requirements, prompting enforcement actions by the ministry.

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At Oye Agu Market, Abagana, in the Njikoka LGA, officials marked for demolition some sections of the shopping plazas built without adequate parking provisions and in breach of the mandatory nine-metre setback for commercial developments, a measure designed to reduce roadside parking and traffic congestion.

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A similar action was carried out at Nkwo Nnewi and other parts of Nnewi, where ongoing commercial developments were found to have violated approved planning standards and road corridor requirements, attracting sanctions and possible demolition.

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Ojukwu reiterated that physical planning laws are binding on all residents, developers and institutions, emphasising that the state is also enforcing the required two-metre setback from walkways and six-metre setback from drainage channels along highways across Anambra.

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He said, “The Governor Soludo’s administration remains unwavering in its vision of restoring order, protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring sustainable urban development.

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This is a warning to developers who disregard approved plans and building regulations that they risk severe sanctions, including demolition of offending structures.”

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However, the exercise sparked panic across affected markets as traders expressed divergent reactions.

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Some traders and property developers at Oye Agu Market, Abagana, in Njikoka Local Government Area, in separate reactions on Tuesday, appealed for caution over plans by the Ministry to demolish some plazas within the market.

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The affected shop owners expressed surprise, insisting that their buildings were approved by relevant government authorities before construction.

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While admitting that certain structures in the market may have breached the original layout, they urged the government to target only unapproved developments.

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The Market Chairman, Ugochukwu Nwaokaka, maintained that many of the affected plazas were legally approved, while a developer, Ikem Obidigbo said the markings had created panic among traders and investors.

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Some of the traders also threatened to protest against the planned demolition, lamenting that the action would put thousands of lives and livelihoods at risk.

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They appealed to Soludo to urgently intervene to avoid breakdown of law and order.

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A food vendor in the Oye-Agu Market, Esther Udoh, said, “I am appealing to our ‘Solution governor’ to stop the Ministry from its planned action so that majority of us in the market will not be sent begging in the streets. The action is dangerous for now.

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“I learnt most of those shops mark for demolition have been rented out to some South Africa returnees who are indigenes of the Njikoka council area, so, demolishing the shops at this critical time is not a welcome development at all.”

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One of the market developers and the Managing Director of Ani Odogwu property Limited, Nkem Obidigbo, called on the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development to tour the market properly for a comprehensive fact-finding before talking of demolition.

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He said, “About 90 per cent structures in Oye-agu market have government approval from the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, headed by Barrister Chike Maduekwe.

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“I suggest, the newly appointed commissioner for Ministry Physical Planning and Urban Development should glass through the approved document of the market for proper guide.

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“As I speak, the situation has caused serious panic among traders in the market. Some of the marked shops build under Private-Public-Partnership, are not build illegally, they are situated in Anambra government approved places.

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“So, my concern is for the government to know the true fact about the market.”

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However, responding to their concerns, the Chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area, Chinedu Ononiba, urged traders to remain calm, assuring them that negotiation is ongoing to address the issue amicably.

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