Confusion in Rivers as Govt demolish houses around Abonema Waterfront
- Details
- Category: Latest
- Published on Tuesday, 03 July 2012 16:03
- Written by Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel
Inhabitants of Abonema Waterfront were yesterday thrown into confusion as the the government of Rivers State rolled out buldozers and demolished all houses around the Abonema Waterfront thereby rendering hundreds of inhabitant, chiefly low income earners homeless.
The demolition was closely supervised by officials of the State ministry of works and housing.
Before the demotion exercise, the State government had stated that the shanties and houses which shelters thousands of residents chiefly low income earners has became a den of criminals that unleash terror on people within the vicinity.
Reacting to the development, Chairman of Abonnema House Owners Association Tom Jim George said the state government violated international law by sending people packing under the rains when there was a pending court case challenging the demolition.
"Some of us are still in the court and there is an injunction restraining the government but they still went ahead to start demolition", he said.
State commissioner for urban development and physical planning Tammy Danagogo told newsmen that prompt demolition of the shanties was as a result of high criminal activities in the area.
"We have planned to demolish that place because that place has become deports of fire arms and ammunitions; so we believe we must demolish to get those arms", he said.
The state government, according to him, was already taking record of names of owners of structures in the waterfront and would soon start paying them compensation.
