Governor Peter Mbah from day one warned that it will no longer be business as usual.
He also warned that some pains could be felt in some places as government tries to put things in proper perspectives in the journey to building a New Enugu.
The journey has long begun. Politicians, businessmen and even the masses are gradually adjusting to the new system.
Few buildings have been pulled down, while an enumeration of illegal structures, open spaces, unmonetized government property and houses is on, as the Peter Mbah administration takes Enugu on a journey that has promised to locate Enugu among great cities in the world.
It’s therefore not time for blackmail. While it’s painful when ones business is shut, we should also accept mistakes and try to adjust.
In Enugu there are designated areas for business just as some others have been mapped out as residential areas.
We have also seen people go out of the master plan deliberately to erect buildings. Some even build on waterway; others block roads and erect buildings.
Such anomalies can’t stand the test of time because once a responsive government comes, such structures must give way.
Thus the current attempt by the owner of Breathe Restaurant and Lounge, Enugu, Mr. Ikechukwu Okeke to ‘blackmail’ the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority has failed even before it was conceived.
Okeke has alleged a deliberate attempt to frustrate his business by the Director, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, (ECTDA), Chief Uche Anya.
Instead of accepting the fact that his noisy club house at 100A Independence Avenue, Independence Layout Enugu is a nuisance to the good people of the State who reside in the area, he rather decided to take it personal.
He has been going around whipping up sentiments that over 400 million investment which commenced operation barely a month ago is about to be frustrated.
Yes, Governor Mbah is building a conducive environment for business, yet in establishing such business the proper things must be done and seen to be done.
Thus government is preparing to commence demolition of illegal structures in the state capital. Enugu is in a process and the government must be supported to get it right.
…Sealing of Breathe Restaurant and Lounge and issue surrounding it.
The sealing of the Night Club was first initiated by the landlords and residents of the area who wrote through their lawyers complaining of the nuisance being constituted by the night Club.
They wrote the ECTDA as well as the Secretary to the State Government urging them to save them from the menace which has denied them sleep and peaceful environment.
Landlords wrote to ECTDA complaining of the nuisance by the noisy club
Landlords also wrote the SSG
The ECTDA was this forced to step in with warnings before the final sealing of the place.
Speaking on the issue, the management of ECTDA said that due process was followed in sealing the place.
They explained that the buildings in the place has no documented approval with them and even the approval plan brought by the lounge owners was grossly violated.
“We followed all the necessary protocol in line with the law establishing ECTDA to seal the lounge. After the initial sealing of the place, a temporary letter of unsealing was issued to them on September 11th 2023.
The temporary unsealing letter
“Before this letter was issued, we called the owners to our office and discovered that there’s no document of the plan of the building with us. They couldn’t provide any evidence of payment for the approval they have but said they paid cash in the office of the ex chairman. Even the plan they parade was grossly violated. Because ECTDA operates with a human face, a lot of agreements were reached with the owner of the lounge and these agreements were consummated in an affidavit by Mr. Okeke.
“On the strength of the affidavit, the longe was reopened. Two days after, it was discovered that non of the items in the affidavit was been implemented and the noise pollution continued. This made us to issue a final notice letter dated September 13th, 2023.
The affidavit
“After 8 days this notice was issued, there was no sign that the owner of the lounge wanted to obey the affidavit he swore and this made us seal the place on Thursday,” the management said.
The final notice
ECTDA urged the public to disregard any claim of vendetta nor witch hunt as non exists and enjoined the owner of the lounge to do the necessary things as agreed by him and not seek public pity.
Credit must be given to the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority for giving the Club room to right some wrongs which they failed to comply with. Even after swearing an affidavit to make some adjustments and comply with others issues as agreed with the ECTDA.
A public analyst who spoke to EverydayNewsngr.net has even quried why the ECTDA is negotiating over a business that is illegally located. For him, the noisy club must not be allowed to continue if this government is serious.
“But, I know Governor Peter Mbah, he doesn’t join sentiments in government business. He has come to correct some of these wrongs. No more business as usual, ” he opined.
