Residents of Enugu state have commended the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) for issuing removal notices to developers along the banks of Ekulu River, stretching from Ugwuonyeama to Trans Ekulu bridge in the heart of Enugu metropolis.
The ECTDA had issued stop work notices to different encroachers who have annexed the bank of the river, creating obstructions to the waterways and making the river shit undesirably to the detriment of the Enugu master plan.
In a press briefing by the state government agency, last week, the chairman of ECTDA, Hon Uche Anya decried the activities of developers along the waterways, particularly at Trans Ekulu bridge, which he said the construction of building into the River in threatening to pull down the major bridge Enugu east local government to the city center.
Subsequently, the agency marked the developments along the bank of Ekulu River at Ugwuonyeama, opposite Ugwuabor and asked the developer to remove the retaining wall he built into the river.
Reacting to the development, residents of the city have commended the ECTDA for wielding the big stick against illegal developers, noting that impunity was becoming the order of the day in the state capital.
Chief Simon Ozougwu who resides in Iva valley but cultivates vegetables close to the bank of the river, said he was wondering if the state government had purposely allowed the developer at Ugwuonyeama to be above the law.
“I was surprised to see what has been going on, all the nuisances along Ekulu River. How can people see a River but decide to construct their houses inside it at the detriment of the danger of how negatively the water will react. I thank God that on getting to this place to see that the retaining walls have been marked for removal. It shows that there is still hope for decency in Enugu.
“People are complaining that the Trans Ekulu bridge is about to go down, only for this estate developer to come from nowhere and start constructing a retaining wall into the river. Instead of him to maintain the setback, he decided to acquire more land and went inside Ekulu River. Everybody has been complaining but we thought he was untouchable. Thank God that the Chairman of Capital Territory has taken the courage to stop the work,” Ozougwu said.
Investigation revealed that the developer was actually given an approval by the past state administration for an estate development with appropriate setback for his retaining wall which the developer violated and exceeded the boundary given to him and encroached eight meters into the water.
Another resident of the area who gave his name as Matthew said that the chairman of the Capital Territory has shown proactive measure and means every word he says, expressing fears that the ECTDA may after all have revoked the approval for the estate development.
“I’m aware that even the former administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi stopped the estate developer from further construction for violating the due approval given to him and encroaching into the Ekulu River, but he resumed after. I’m happy that justice is being done to all this nonsense,” Mathew said.
