The government of Cross River state has given reasons for its decision to demolish buildings located within the Water Board area of Calabar, including one belonging to PDP deputy governorship candidate, Alphonsus Eba, who is also the immediate past state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The demolition notice given to owners of the buildings earmarked for demolition has generated sustained uproar for the past few days.
While the state government insists the exercise is necessary to pave way for the rehabilitation of critical water infrastructure and restore regular public water supply to Calabar and adjoining communities, affected residents, especially those from the opposition PDP, allege political vendetta.
In a chat with Blueprint.ng in Calabar, Wednesday, Governor Bassey Otu’s special adviser on general duties, Barr Ekpenyong Akiba, said the planned demolition of structures at the Water Board is part of a World Bank project’s conditions and not targeted at any individual.
He said: “Water projects are usually done with the support of the World Bank. The government has counterpart funds which are hanging for over two years for the rehabilitation purposes but nothing can be done without excavation of the old pipes.”
The government aide explained further that the Water Board facility was originally for water production, with large underground pipes running through the area and that several residential structures have now been erected on or around major water pipelines and facilities, making it impossible for engineers to carry out essential reconstruction works.
Denying the claims of a witch-hunt, Akiba insisted that the demolition list cuts across political affiliations and includes properties owned by public servants, retirees and private citizens and that “the action is for overriding public interest to restore water supply in the state.
“Houses belonging to a commissioner, a special adviser, former permanent secretaries, retirees are also marked for demolition as well as other government structures and not limited to Barr Eba as portrayed by certain individuals
“It’s good these issues are coming to the public domain so people can say if we should continue to support irresponsibility and protect inadequacies. There would be no demolition without adequate notice. Provisions exist for relocation where necessary,” he submitted.
The Water Board area has long been central to Calabar’s water distribution network.
Successive administrations have pledged to rehabilitate the ageing facilities to no avail, even as some persons erected residential structures on the said land.