By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The one-week deadline given by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for commencement of demolition of make-shift houses and shanties along the Eastern Bypass axis of Port Harcourt has caused fear among tenants likely to be affected.
Governor Wike issued the one-week demolition deadline on Wednesday during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Port Harcourt.
“All shanties along the Eastern Bypass will be demolished within one week,” the governor had declared after inspecting the place.
But the declaration has put many tenants of make-shift houses and owners of shanties on edge since then, as they complain of not having money to rent better apartments.
In a chat with TPCN on Thursday, one of the tenants, a female petty trader, complained that the one week deadline was too short for her to find an alternative place to stay with her family.
“Since yesterday that governor said this thing, I have been thinking of what to do and where to go because they say the demolition will affect our batcher. That is where we’re managing for now. If they come and pull it down next week, where are we going? We don’t have money to go and hire another house. Everybody knows that things are very hard now. Governor should have given us more time, like two months or even till December so that anybody who cannot get another house will use that period to travel home,” she said.
She revealed that the owner of the make-shift house where they’re staying has been worried since the governor announced the one-week deadline, adding: “I heard that he has built this house for more than twenty years. He is from Okrika.” Another woman who sells drinks by the roadside, pleaded with Governor Wike to give them more time to relocate.
She said: “I know the governor wants to build road and develop this place but let him please consider us and give us more time to find other places to stay and find our belle.”
