New Boss Tackles Rots In UCCDA, Gives 2 Weeks For Approval of Building Plans As A’Ibom Architects Call For Due Process

By UbongAbasi Ise

Otuekong Enobong Uwah, the newly appointed Chairman of Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA),
has opened up on the anomalies he inherited on arrival and vowed to fix the system, and give a new image to UCCDA.

While receiving the team of Akwa Ibom State Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) that paid him courtesy visit, Friday, in his office, Otuekong Enobong Uwah named unnecessary delays in approval of building plans, wrong approach to demolition, touting, bribery, and poor working environment as factors that gave UCCDA bad image.

Uwah stressed that, in the past, it used to take several months or years to get building plans approved.

He stated an instance where he signed a form that was brought to the authority since2008.

The UCCDA boss told his visitors that his administration has worked assiduously towards eliminating the bottlenecks in the process of getting building plan
approval.

He gave assurance that the period between submission and approval of plans has now been reduced to two weeks interval.

Uwah stated his commitment in changing wrong notion of UCCDA by members of the public in regards to
demolition of developments.

“There were some practices in UCCDA that gave the authority a very bad image from the public.

Even when I was not here, a normal citizen sees UCCDA as the agency that demolishes people houses.

On my arrival here, I said that I was not appointed the Executive Chairman of Uyo Capital City Demolition Authority but a Development Authority.

I am supposed to do development and not demolition.

If I do the foundation of the development, there won’t be any need to demolish,” he
told visiting NIA team.

Otuekong Uwah said that touting has stopped at UCCDA office.

According to him, if a staff is caught touting or send somebody to tout, he would not hesitate in writing to the office of the Head of Service for quick disciplinary action to be taken.

He pointed out that front desk office is open to those who want to acquire the services of the authority.

“Touting has stopped here. Every developer, architect, or engineer goes to the front desk office.

We have architect there; we have engineer, town planner, revenue officer,
and of course, the clerical officer there.

The moment you bring your plans, they will do a preliminary check immediately.”

“If all seems okay preliminarily, they now receive it, and of course send it to the Town Planning Unit and the process starts.

The process is not going to be cumbersome as the one I inherited here” he said.

Otuekong Uwah called on architects and potential developers not to encourage bribery because the practice is a give and take affair saying that if one does not give the other would not take, and if the other does not take one would not give.

Uwah, while maintaining that he is leading a new UCCDA, said he has changed the face of the authority’s
office in few weeks he is at the helm of affairs.

He said, “This is a new UCCDA. When I arrived here I saw a desolate environment that was not meant for
normal people.

So I knew that productivity in UCCDA
will be low because poor working environment can slow down the attitude to work.”

Citing the provisions of Architect (Registration) Act 2004 in his address, the Akwa Ibom State Chapter
Chairman of NIA, Arc. Abimbola Oke, stressed how architectural schemes used to be vetted by unregistered professional in the employ of UCCDA while describing the act as unfortunate and demeaning.

“Subject to the provision of the law: Architects (Registration, etc.) Act, Chapter A19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, ‘a person shall not prepare
or take full responsibility for the erection or commissioning of architectural building plans or practice or carry on business under any name, style or title
containing the word “Architect” unless he is a Nigerian citizen and registered under the act.’

“Until recently, there were no Architects registered under this act in the employ of Uyo Capital City Development Authority, yet Architectural schemes were being vetted and approved by unregistered professionals a situation
that is indeed unfortunate.

We have left our development control business in the hands of people who are easily compromised.

UCCDA has over the years encouraged
practices that are at variance with or contrary to the professional standards or ethics, that is, unprofessionalism and quackery.

“It is very frustrating and disheartening for us in this profession, practicing in Akwa Ibom State to be subjected
to the humiliation of drawings prepared by Registered Architects being checked and vetted by our unregistered colleagues.

I mean this is demeaning and unacceptable,” he stressed.

Oke proposed that all architectural building plans submitted and received at the development control offices must be accompanied by an Architectural Building Plan Certification issued only by the secretariat of NIA Akwa Ibom State Chapter while saying that only the fully
registered architects should receive it on behalf of their clients.

He suggested that Akwa Ibom State government should domesticate the National Building code (2006) in the
State and enact laws for the enforcement of its provisions.

The Chairman further said that Architectural Division in Development Control Department should handle all architectural plans in line with Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act.