In a bid to address pressing urban development challenges, the Executive Chairman of Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Rt. Hon. Anietie Eka yesterday convened a town hall meeting with the Paramount Ruler of Uyo LGA and the Village Heads of the affected areas within the capital city. The meeting which was held at the Authority office complex at Atan Offot focused on tackling critical issues such as street trading, unapproved buildings on waterways, unlicensed filling and gas stations, and illegal motor parks affecting the capital city.
Addressing the chiefs, Hon. Eka highlighted the dangers and inconveniences posed by street trading and the indiscriminate display of wares on roadsides. “We are godly, orderly and clean people, and it is not in our nature to act indiscriminately. Cooking on the tarred roads under the guise of hardship, taking over the pedestrian and the median of the road by street traders which is the major cause of traffic congestion and incessant accidents and establishing illegal motor parks on major corridors of the city thereby promoting touting and robbery are unacceptable and we will stop at nothing in correcting these anomalies. We have to support the efforts of the Government by maintaining government properties. His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno means well for the State and is working tirelessly to position it to enable investors to come in and invest in the State”. He emphasized that traders should make use of designated markets and trading zones.
Another focal point of the meeting was the proliferation of unapproved structures built on waterways, which has led to recurrent flooding in parts of the city. Hon. Eka lamented that such practices obstruct natural drainage channels, exacerbating the impact of heavy rainfall. “The consequences of allowing buildings on waterways are evident in the devastating floods that residents experience during the rainy season. We cannot allow this to continue,” he said. He reiterated the UCCDA’s commitment to demolishing these illegal structures and called on the Village Heads to report such cases to the Authority.
The City Boss also raised concerns over the increase in unapproved filling and gas stations operating within residential areas. He described the situation as a ticking time bomb, endangering lives and properties. “These illegal stations do not only violate urban planning laws but also pose a serious threat to public safety. We are determined to clamp down on them,” he declared. The Chairman appealed to community leaders to collaborate with UCCDA in identifying and reporting unauthorized facilities.
He announced plans to inaugurate a special City development monitoring team to monitor and enforce compliance, stating that from 30th January, UCCDA will commence clearing of street traders, illegal motors within the capital city and demolition of unapproved filling and gas stations. To be forewarned is to before harmed.
Responding, the Paramount Ruler of Uyo LGA, Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, applauded the initiative of UCCDA. He frowned at these awful developments and expressed the full support of the traditional rulers to UCCDA in carrying out the clearing exercise and prayed that God strengthens Hon Eka to carry out these plans to the letter.
Also speaking, the Village Head of Effiat Offot, Eteidung Barr Udo C. J. George, expressed gratitude to government stating that the situation was quite worrisome. He mentioned that government should also look into the polification of machine workshops along Abak road.
Also in his remarks, the Village Head of Nung Oku Ibesikpo, Eteidung Anietie Okon Edem expressed satisfaction with government’s plans to sanitize the city. He drew the Chairman’s attention to the scrap market operating at Nung Oku Ibesikpo and it’s bad influence on the youths of the community, pleading that government should come to their aid by demolishing the illegal market.
The meeting was well attended by the Secretary and Head of Administration of the Authority, Adm. Anietie Akpan, Heads of Units and Traditional Rulers.
