The Abia State Government has given landlords in Umuahia, the state capital, four weeks to carry out facelifts on their buildings or face sanctions, as part of efforts to improve the city’s aesthetics.
The government also announced the establishment of additional charging stations for the newly introduced Abia electric bus mass transit system.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held this week and chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said the government had observed with concern that many landlords had failed to carry out routine maintenance on their buildings for years, noting that several structures were defacing the state capital.
According to him, the directive is in line with the Umuahia Renewal and Beautification Programme aimed at transforming Umuahia into a befitting state capital.
He listed ongoing interventions to include tree planting along major streets, repainting of kerbs, installation of road signs and perimeter fencing, among others.
“As a compassionate government, residents of Umuahia were given ample time to remove shanties and illegal projections attached to buildings around the city,” Kanu said.
“Government, through the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), is now set to enforce this directive. Landlords with shanties or illegal projections in front of their houses are advised to comply or be ready to face the wrath of the law.”
The commissioner also warned against illegal parking of commercial vehicles on city roads, stating that such practices were now prohibited.
“All commercial bus operators involved in illegal parking on the streets of Umuahia are advised to desist from this act, as offenders will have their vehicles impounded,” he said.
On the electric bus mass transit scheme, Kanu said the Ministry of Transport had earlier installed temporary charging stations during the test run of the buses in December, when free services were offered to residents.
He disclosed that with the arrival of more charging infrastructure, the number of charging stations across the state would be increased significantly.
Kanu also revealed that a 2MVA, 33/0.415kV distribution substation had been installed at the Umuahia Central Bus Terminal.
“With these developments, all necessary supporting infrastructure is being put in place to ensure a smooth and hitch-free commencement of full bus services,” he said.
“The substation has reached about 80 per cent completion. From all indications, all hands are on deck to ensure that the project is handed over to the state government before the end of the month.”
Also speaking, the General Manager of the Umuahia Capital Development Authority, Mr Kingsley Agomuo, said indiscriminate parking of buses on city roads was a major cause of traffic congestion.
“We advised commercial bus operators last year to move their vehicles into designated parks and operate from there,” Agomuo said.
“If they comply, it will ease traffic congestion and ensure smooth movement within the urban centre.”