By: Ike Philip Abiagom
It appears that the “Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Bill 2018 has become “useless” or a “dead on arrival” state law.
The law tailored to outlaw illegal and forceful entry into development sites in the state popularly known as “deve” in local parlance has become “unenforceable” for reasons yet to be established.
Newsbreeze reports that a stakeholder and a true son of Igbuzo Obi(Dr)Henry Ajudua at the weekend expressed his concern over the functionality of the law in Igbuzo and it environs. The bill establishing the law was assented to by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on 24th, August 2018 after year-long efforts to send it to the state assembly as Executive Bill after assumption of office in May 29, 2015.
The bill was given accelerated reading and passed for assent which was also done in record time.
Optimistic Okowa, probably thinking the bill would automatically put an end to the ugly era of extortion, molestation of properties developers in the state, is ‘dead wrong’ years plus after signing the bill into law as the menace remained unabated in the state.
Okowa was quoted to have said that the law will stop youths from trespassing into property development sites in the state and make investment to thrive.
According to the governor, harassment of property developers by touts in the name of “deve” had chased away a lot of developers from the state. He, however, was confident that with the signing into law of the bill prohibiting illegal and forceful entry into development sites, the state would witness speedy development.
But six years plus after this assertions from the governor and the law in place, the menace of ‘Deve” collecting, touts have continued in the state unabated mostly in Igbuzo,Nothing seemed to have changed.
Obi Dr Henry Ajudua,the President of Vebron Carre INC. USA on Friday, voiced his frustration that since the law came into existence no one has been arrested and prosecuted. According to him, this is not because the law has finally arrested the menace but because enforcement has become a big challenge to the law enforcement agencies.
He said, there is no record of criminal harassment of properties developers for the police to move in because, according to him people are not willing to report to the police.He however said that Igbuzo town is worst in terms of the social vices, he said that presently Vebron Carr USA is developing Multi-Million naira hospital in Igbuzo but the illegal extortion from State, local government agencies and various youths bodies is seriously hindering the project.
Obi Ajudua asserted that no investor will be willing to invest in Igbuzo and its environs because of the menace of government agencies and youths who on daily basis extort, and harass properties developers, particularly within the Igbuzo area.
He added that the law (Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Law 2018) that ought to arrest the situation have not recorded any success as the state police command have not brought an offender to acknowledge many years plus after it was enacted.
“So the question is where is the future in Igbuzo? Every morning, youths wake up all over Oshimili North collecting one ‘deve’ or the other. “I want to appeal because there is break down of morality and respect. No society can grow if there is no sense of moral, discipline and respect”.
He dropped a subtle warning and threat, to cancel hospital work at Igbuzo following the menace of government agencies and youths’ harassment of project workers in the Vebron Carre site.
Specifically, the Vebron Carre, President while lamenting the menace of ‘deve’ collectors in Igbuzo, where one of his project is traversing, said several properties developers will leave Igbuzo town( Part of the Capital Territory) because of constant harassment by local youths.
His words, “I have warned them, if they don’t stop, we will pull out.Some Property Development Companies in Igbuzo are pulling out already. Imagine the number of people that they would have employed, contracts they would have given if those companies were still here.
Obi Ajudua outburst is coming despite the existence of “Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Law 2018”. Findings indicate that since the law was put in place, Government agencies and local youths still go about harassing and embarrassing developers in the state with a moribund law which ought to check their essences in place.
Obi Ajudua is calling on Delta State government to fully implement the Public and Private Properties Protection law also known as “Anti-Deve” law to pave way for accelerated development in the state.