By Onyenweli Mercy
The Managing Director of Edo State Physical Planning and Property development, hon.Igabali Darlington Imosili has called on all Property developers in the state to visit the agency’s office and allign the layout of their Estates with government approved planning for properties.
Mr. Imosili who stated this in his office while speaking with Newsmen in Benin City said getting government approval before embarking on building is very necessary to avoid the consequences of building on right of way.
“That is why we are telling Edo People to first of all find out the status of a land before purchasing, ask questions to know, if the land is for residential , commercial or otherwise before developing”. He said.
Speaking on buildings occupying right of way, Mr. Imosili stressed that the agency is putting modalities in place to issue contravention notice to defaulters before the agency can carry out demolition.
“In places where we have people building on where they are not supposed to build, we are putting everything in place to carry out demolition on properties that are obstructing water ways or building under high tension power”.
He further revealed that the agency do not have taskforce presently yet has been receiving complaints from members of the public about activities of illegal taskforce going around collecting money from people claiming to be officials of the agency.
He appealed to members of the public to always raise alarm whenever they are around.
“We are trying to sensitize people that no body from this agency will ask a defaulter for money, rather, if you err, you will be issued a paper to visit the office and pay. whatever it is will be sorted out in the office, so, we are using this medium to tell people, don’t give money to anybody in the street. Anybody that ask you money is not from the agency because we will only issue you contravention notice and you come to the office to regularize.”
According to him, the agency have Area Planning Officers attached to different locations in the state to ensure Property developers build their properties inline with what was approved.
He added that having spent few months in office,the agency has achieved tremendous turn around working with the five point agenda of Governor Monday Okpebholo to improve on the well-being of Edo People.