Structures built by illegal contractors/developers risk demolition – Anambra
Houses constructed by unqualified builders, uncertified developers, or fraudulent development control agents in Anambra State face the risk of demolition due to frequent building collapses suspected to be caused by inadequate oversight.
Chike Maduekwe, Chairman and Managing Director of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, made this announcement on Tuesday during an inspection of Abatete, Uke, and Umuoji communities in Idemili North Local Government Area. He also warned individuals falsely claiming to be members of the Registered Engineering Council of Nigeria, who are extorting money by marking buildings for demolition, to cease such activities.
Reports indicate that over 20 buildings—residential, commercial, and educational—have collapsed in the state in the past seven months, resulting in more than 25 deaths and numerous injuries. The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and other certified agencies have attributed many of these collapses to buildings constructed by unqualified individuals.
During the inspection, Maduekwe observed that some developers, despite multiple “Stop Work” notices, continued their projects and even harassed agency staff during inspections. He emphasized the need to sanitize the building sector and insisted that developers must present their building permits. The period from August 1 to October 31 has been designated for developers to rectify their permit status.
Maduekwe stated that after the grace period, any structure without a valid permit will be demolished, and the owner will face legal action. He stressed that the government is committed to enforcing regulations and will no longer tolerate illegal construction practices.
He added, “The Anambra State Government has launched ‘Operation Show Your Building Permit’ to clean up the sector. The Governor has instructed us to ensure that no official is intimidated, and we are sending a clear message to developers: compliance is mandatory.”
He further explained that all buildings in the state must have approval, and existing permits are being revalidated due to observed deficiencies. He noted that many people are ignoring permit requirements due to land disputes or lack of proper documentation, and highlighted instances of staff being threatened and chased away during official inspections.
