Imo State Government has refuted reports that it was demolishing property of opposition politicians in the state.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba disclosed that at no point has the Government demolished any property or hotel in the state and will never do so unless an extant law is breached.
Emelumba who was reacting to allegations that the government demolished All Seasons Hotel, Owerri declared that there was no iota of truth in the report.
He noted that Imo Geographical Information Service limited merely removed a grill which the management of the hotel had illegally erected on Green Verge without any approval.
He explained that the green Verge was a buffer between the property and the road infrastructure and ought not to have been converted as part of the property.
According to the Commissioner, when the relevant agency noticed the anomaly, it served a demand notice on the management of the hotel to remove the grill and restore the environment.
Emelumba regretted that instead of of the hotel to remove the grill and restore the verge which it had converted to a car park, it instituted a court case against the Government.
The Commissioner lamented that even when All Seasons Hotel and the proprietor ,Evangelist Mike Ikoku lost the case in suit No, HOW/1231/2021 on September 29,2022, it still remained adamant and refused to obey the court order.
He said as a government which believes in due process,it had to give All Seasons Hotel,a 10 month grace before its agency, Imo Geographical Information Service limited removed the grill on Tuesday, August 15,2023.
“No part of All Seasons Hotel was demolished. The hotel is still standing there for anyone to confirm. What was removed is the grill which it used to illegally appropriate Government land for which it had no approval.”
He described as false the narrative that Government was targeting opposition politicians for victimization, saying that it was a vile propaganda by a drowning opposition.
He insisted that those who run foul of the law are the ones alleging victimization so as to cover up their lawlessness.
The Commissioner insisted that no government agency would be swayed by such sentimental propaganda to shirk its responsibilities to the people of the state.
He advised those who have property bordering green Verge not to encroach on it under any guise so as not to suffer the consequences.