By Dennis Agbo

The Enugu State government has explained the reason why it revoked the operation of the Liberty Center, a business arena inside Liberty estate located in the highbrow area of Independence layout, Enugu.

According to the Managing Director of Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, ESHDC, Mr. Chuks Agu, the corporation was inundated with petitions by the residents of the estate on the misuses and abuse of the center,  adding that the residents, which are mainly constituted by high class citizens, also complained about the security threat posed by the misuse of the center.

Agu gave an instance of a petition submitted by the chairman of the Liberty Estate Residents Association, Engr. Goddy Madueke where he highlighted the problems of the Rangers training pitch and the overall security threat as a result of continuous flouting of the order that made the training pitch an exclusive preserve of Rangers Football club of Enugu.

The residents complained that the Liberty Estate has gone out of control that some homeowners are now living in regrets with respect to their huge investment in the estate as the value of their homes have continued to plummet under their watch.

“The neighborhood park has been converted to a drinking and smoking park. Teenage boys and girls always gather until late hours of the night; in the morning, cans, bottles of beer and condoms have been sited at the park. On a number of cases, residents have made attempts to disperse them but they reconvened later.

“The center has become a nuisance to the neighborhood. Teenagers converge at the center to drink and smoke hemp at any time of the day and late at nights. When confronted by a resident, they stated that owner said they could smoke if they want.

“As you are aware, Mr. Chairman, Liberty Estate is one of the prime estates and prime of Enugu state government; God forbid that it goes down in your regime. We therefore urge you to use your powers and intervene promptly to the highlighted problems,” Madueke petitioned.

 The MD of ESHDC, Agu further disclosed that there were other petitions in similar demands, stating that the corporation had to sanitize the Estate through tge action it carried on the liberty center in order to restore the confidence of homeowners in the estate.