Anambra State Government has commenced revocation of ownership of undeveloped landed properties in some parts of the state.
The Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Dr Ossy Onuko disclosed this to journalists in an interview on Thursday, during an enforcement exercise.
He said the enforcement started with Awka Millennium City Estate, Agu-Awka, Anambra State, a modern estate which the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had prided as the new Awka city, with aims to achieve his dream of making Anambra a ‘green and liveable homeland’.
Onuko said the enforcement is to hasten property owners to construct on their allocated lands to transform the estate into a functional and vibrant residential area as promised by the governor.
He said: “This exercise is part of the agency’s ongoing Operation Keep Awka Clean, which seeks to ensure proper urban planning and promote active development across the capital territory.
“Many developers had acquired government lands with the expectation of developing them within three years, but have not yet commenced construction.
“ACTDA is committed to stopping land speculation and ensuring that all allocated lands serve their intended purpose for the benefit of residents.
“The agency is working closely with the Anambra State Ministry of Lands to enforce development standards, revoke undeveloped plots when necessary and reassign them to developers who are ready to build within the stipulated period. That is why we are on this exercise today.”
The Head of Development Control Unit of ACTDA, Mr Charles Ekwunife, described the slow progress of work at the estate as disappointing, noting that the estate was intended to be a flagship development for Awka.
He explained that all allocated lands are expected to be developed in line with the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, signed between the government and Awka Millennium City Estate, which stipulated that the estate should have reached an appreciable level of development within the first three years.
