141 buildings to be demolished •As flood overruns Enugu Fidelity Estate

RESIDENTS of Fidelity Estate, Enugu, are now in trouble as the area is about to be submerged by flood.

A visit to the area by Maka Ndigbo, on Monday, showed that flood has already taken over the main gate leading to the Fidelity Estate, formerly called “Ebeano Estste.”

The estate, which is housing about 40 buildings, was built by ex-governor Chimaroke Nnamani before it was seized by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) following petitions levelled against the former governor.

Maka Ndigbo observed that most of the flood threatened areas visited had churches built on them, many of which were built on waterways.

Further checks revealed that about 141 houses will be demolished by the authority in the next one week.

Curiously, some of the affected landlords interviewed said they had proper papers including Certificate of Occupancy that empowered them to erect structures on the land.

“The housing corporation approved this place for me. How can government threaten to pull down my building?  A respondent, who simply gave his name as Okoroigwe, said.

Conducting newsmen round the Estate as well as other flood threatened areas  in Enugu metropolis, the state Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development ( ECTD), Chidi Aroh, said all illegal buildings and structures would be demolished, stressing that it was not a punitive measure.

“We do not want people to take laws into their hands. If we allow them, they will deface this city and cause flood to overtake us. This is national insecurity. You have seen where we stopped them from working”

“The government is very conscious and if we do not stop them, posterity will not forgive us. As journalists, let your conscience be your watchword. You have seen things for yourself. Go home and report what you have seen. Imagine Nike-lake is no more,” he added.