UCCDA gives plan owners one month to verify status

By Osondu Ahirika

Owners of plans submitted to, and awaiting approval at the Uyo Capital City Development Authourity, UCCDA,
have been given one month from the 24th of July 2017 to verify the status of the plan and retrieve same, after
which unclaimed plans will be destroyed.
The Chairman of UCCDA, Otuekong Prince Enobong Uwah, gave the ultimatum when he hosted the executive
members of Nigeria Institution of Surveyors who paid him a courtesy call in his office. Prince Uwah who decried
a situation where plans that were submitted as far back as decades were still awaiting approval and were unclaimed, disclosed that, no approvals exceed 2weeks in the new UCCDA and called on all who have yet to get their approval to turn up and verify the status of the
plan within the one month period.

Prince Uwah said the absence of Digital Geo - information bank in the UCCDA he met, has resulted in the stacking of thousands of documents and papers in the Authourity of a situation he said is unacceptable in this age of Technology and digital advancement.

The UCCDA Chairman said that they have concluded plans to commence the Digital Geo - information bank for Uyo
Capital City to make for easier access to information and data of the city as soon as the State Legislature is done with the relevant Bill which is currently underway.

He thanked the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors for the courtesy call and charged them to continue the
cooperation with UCCDA in the onerous responsibility of keeping and maintaining the masterplan of the city as they serve their clients.

While charging them to furnish UCCDA with the register of authentic Surveyors, Prince Uwah berated quacks who he said have caused so much havoc in the system by not advising clients well on areas which are Government reserved land and others which distort the masterplan of
Uyo.

Prince Uwah assured the Surveyors that the new Board of UCCDA is wholly committed to achieving the charge of
Governor Udom Emmanuel to reposition the Authourity for greater efficiency, adding that, the UCCDA under his
watch, will adhere strictly to the tenets of integrity and due process, with zero tolerance for any form of graft and corruption.

On his path to the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors, Surv. Clement Akpan,
commended Prince Enobong Uwah for the proactive measures he has put in place to reposition the Authourity
within a month in office. Surv. Akpan also thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for appointing Prince Uwah to lead the UCCDA, describing the appointment as
meritorious.

Calling for maintenance and upgrading of the orderly physical developments in Uyo Capital City, Surv. Akpan
said, this will be achieved with the enforcement of extant laws on fencing and building lines that are prone to
violation by developers which result in narrow roads in the ever expanding city, leaving little or no space for alignments or drains.

Akpan further added that, this situation costs so much toil and compensation expenses by government to correct in future.

The Nigeria Institution of Surveyors also called on the UCCDA to involve the Surveyors to assist the field inspectorate teams for the approval of building designs, so that, they can determine specifications for Centre lines and curved roads before the onset of fencing by
developers.

Surv. Akpan welcomed the introduction of Geo - information bank, arguing that, it is in line with best international practices and will not only ensure security of landed property but facilitate easy assessment and collection of internally generated revenue.

While assuring the UCCDA Chairman of their collaboration to ensure the elimination of illegal surveys, which he said, is dangerous for design and construction of Surv, Akpan called for the putting in place of a comprehensive thematic map, with integrated facilities
and amenities for Uyo to guide tourists.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary and Head of Administration UCCDA, Mr Edwin James and Heads of
Departments in the UCCDA.