Success Nwanedo
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the acquisition of all undeveloped and uncompleted buildings in the old and new Government Residential Areas (GRAs) in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
The development was deliberated upon in a meeting by the council and presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday evening among ther range of issues.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Commissioner for Housing, Tasie Chinedu Nwobueze, said the resolution was reached because the Council observed the long abandonment of those properties without attention, which they suspect now serve as hiding places for criminals.
“Again, leaving those plots overgrown with grasses have defaced the urban renewal programme which the State Government is implementing.
“And so, council had approved that all those undeveloped plots and uncompleted buildings in Old GRA and New GRA be acquired.
“Monetary payment will be paid to the owners as agreed with the government,” Nwobueze added.
The Commissioner added that Council had also approved that when the acquired plots would be reallocated to Rivers State indigenes and other residents in the state capable of redeveloping or developing them within a timeline of 12 months.
“And again, Council also approved that those reallocated these plots cannot resell these properties to anybody and if they do, Rivers State Government will revoke such allocation.”
Speaking further, Nwobueze explained that Council also confirmed rectification of any previous acquisition made by the State Government, including the sale of the Rivers State Government-owned former Riv-Bank Insurance building and premises that is located on plots 6,7 and 8 Orije Layout on the Port Aba Expressway to members of the public.
According to him, the Wike led-administration has reconstructed and developed the structure into a seven-storey office complex.
“The State Government took this decision having considered that the property will be better maintained by private investors. And that the funds invested by the Rivers State Government in reconstructing this 7 floors building can be recouped from the sale of this property.
“And that the proceeds from the sales of this property can be judiciously put into the execution of the numerous ongoing projects by the Rivers State government,” he stated.
The Concil also received a brief that only N2 billion was released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as its Healthcare Intervention Fund support to the State and not the requested N2.5 billion.
Briefing journalists on the development, the State’s Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, said the money from the CBN “has been utilised for the payment of contractors in the respective medical institutions for which approval was sort and granted.”
“That is, the Prof. Kersley Harrison Hospital, Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital and Dr Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases Diagnostics and Treatment Centre.
“These facilities are being put in place by the government, not just to provide medical services for Rivers citizens and residents here but for other Nigerians who would have the benefit of getting these medical services without seeking to go abroad for the same service.”
The commissioner further stated that Council also approved the establishment of a first-class Radiology and Radiotherapy Unit at the Dr Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases Diagnostics and Treatment Centre in Port Harcourt, which would be handled by professional healthcare management experts who will ensure that maximal services are provided.
