New masterplan for Abia

Umuahia—Abia State Government has concluded plans to produce a masterplan for the state.

The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Mr Emeka Nwachukwu, told newsmen, yesterday in Umuaihia that the masterplan would include digital mapping of Umuahia, the state capital.

Nwachukwu said that the digital mapping would signal the implementation of the long expected transformation and development of the state.

The Commissioner said that the masterplan of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, would equally be implemented.

He said that the exercise was put on hold due to paucity of fund, noting that the state government had shown the will to carry on with the project in spite of the huge amount it would take.

The Commissioner said that the state government had contacted its technical partners from South Africa for them to start physical development and planning of the two cities.

Nwachukwu said that the state government was not going back on its plan to demolish illegal structures in the two cities, adding that government was only waiting for those who are yet to obtain the change of purpose certificate for their buildings, to do so.

“We had warned the violators of town planning laws to use this as a window to revalidate their document and remedy their situation, because the demolition is expected to start next month,” he said.