By Alphonsus Nweze
The last is yet to be heard over the ongoing fiasco between the traders under the aegis of UBA Planks and Joist Association, Bridgehead Market, Onitsha and the Anambra State government.
The traders whose shops were demolished and goods worth millions destroyed have insisted that they got all approvals from relevant government agencies in the state including the Anambra State Physical Planning Board before building the plaza that was pulled down by the Transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Mr. Orji.
They also debunked stories making round that the Transition Committee Chairman gave notice and reminders to the leadership and occupiers of the plaza before the demolition.
It would be recalled that the traders recently threatened to sue the Anambra State Government and Onitsha South Local Government Area for demolition of the plaza worth over a billion Naira.
They also called on the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to direct the Caretaker Committee Chairman to rebuild the plaza pulled down by his agents and proxies to avoid dragging the State Government to Court.
Presenting the documents to buttress their claims to newsmen in Onitsha, the financial secretary of the association, Hon. Nnamdi Nnayelugo, said there is no way they would build structures without getting approval from relevant state government authorities.
Some of the documents he presented included; notice of provisional approval of building plan application with the No ANS PPB/DA/HQS/DCD/1849/130/21 dated December 14, 2021 and signed by TPL Ikedigwe A.F, Provisional approval of building plan from Anambra State Physical Planning Board ( ANSPPB) No: DA/HQS/DCD/BP/1849/130/21 and signed by TPL Ikedigwe A.F dated February 10, 2022, payment receipt for five hundred and fifty six thousand, four hundred naira (566, 400) for the approval with No: 11000019968 dated December 22, 2021 which was received by one Dr. David Nzekwu.
Other documents included; approval to use the attached survey plan, No. UK/AN/Misc 20/2013 and recommendation letter signed by Uchenna Okafor, former Commissioner for Trade and Commerce under Chief Willie Obiano and dated November 26, 2021 amongst others.
Hon. Nnayelugo added that they could not ignore government notice of demolition if they had issued them with any, contending that they never entertained any fear of demolition since they have all necessary documents from various government authorities before erecting the structures.
“We did not build the plaza in secret neither was it built at night. The former Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi, demanded for the documents of the buildings and we gave it to him and he was satisfied. But the Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairman of Onitsha South did not bother to follow due process in carrying out the demolition of the plaza, which amount to executive recklessness,” the Financial Secretary concluded.
