IZUNNA OKAFOR
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), Mr. Ossy Onuko has said he has over 20 court cases currently hanging on his neck as a result of carrying out his duties as the ACTDA helmsman.
Mr. Onuko stated this while presenting the one-year scorecard of his service as ACTDA MD, during which he also highlighted some of the successes recorded by the Authority under his leadership.
According to him, the court cases are as a result of different enforcement activities carried out by the Agency under his watch, in its bid to control development in the regions of the Awka Capital Territory and give the capital city the befitting outlook it deserves.
The ACTDA Boss, who stressed that development always comes with price and sacrifice, said the he and the Agency would not be deterred or distracted by the lawsuits, but will continue to carry out their duties in accordance with the law that establishes and guides the operation of the Agency.
He highlighted some of the programs, projects and initiatives so far launched and executed by the agency (in collaboration with other relevant private and public institutions) to develop, beautify, and transform the Awka city and other areas under the capital territory.
While noting that the initiatives include Operation Zero Potholes, Operation Clean and Green Awka, Dobe Awka Ọcha, among others; Mr. Onuko also revealed that the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, also created a committee known as the Awka Capital Territory Clean and Green Committee, all towards his vision of making Awka a smart mega city.
“We’ve also established a waste management program for every market in the Capital Territory. If you go to Eke Awka now, there is a waste management program. And at the other markets in Amawbia, and Nkwọ Amenyi, and so on and so forth, we have also done something similar. In the aspect of street trading, that is also what we are very keen about and done much to end,” he said.
Mr. Onuko, who attested that the Agency demolished many shanties when they assumed office, said the government launched another initiative called Solution Arena, under which the government is already building makeshift shops and open stalls where the shanty owners and street traders can be transferred to. He added that electricity, pipe-borne water, toilet facilities and essential amenities are also being provided in the arena for the traders.
He also said as a result of constant enforcements by the Agency, such as demolition of illegal/unapproved structures and recovery of government lands from land grabbers; many developers and investors who want to build within the Capital Territory now come to get approval from the Agency before doing any other thing, adding that over one thousand developers have come to ACTDA in the last one year to seek approval of their projects.
The ACTDA Boss, who marked one year in office on Tuesday, October 17, commended Governor Soludo for “lavishly supporting the Agency”, while also assuring that ACTDA will continue to do its best to live up to its goals and mandate.