Delta Govt Cautions Land Buyers, Declares Asaba Waterfront City Government Property
The Delta State Government has issued a stern warning to property developers and members of the public against encroaching on the Asaba Waterfront City project site, declaring that all illegal structures erected within the area will be demolished.
The Special Project Director of the Asaba Waterfront City, Hon. Barr. Victor Ebonka, gave the warning in Asaba during an inspection of the project site, accompanied by officials of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys.
Barr. Ebonka explained that the entire expanse of land earmarked for the Asaba Waterfront City had been lawfully acquired by the state government, duly gazetted, and that all legitimate landowners had been adequately compensated prior to the acquisition.
He stressed that the land is government-owned and therefore highly encumbered, expressing concern that some individuals had fallen victim to fraudulent activities by land speculators and other unscrupulous elements exploiting the ongoing development in the area.
According to him, prospective land buyers must always verify the status of any land by consulting the Ministry of Lands and Surveys, the Town Planning Office and other relevant authorities before making any purchase, particularly in high-profile development zones such as the Asaba Waterfront City.
“That is why we are here today to mark illegal structures and fences for demolition. Occupants are not entitled to statutory notices because this is fully gazetted government land,” he said.
Barr. Ebonka advised affected persons to seek immediate refunds from those who sold the land to them illegally and to remove any structures or encumbrances placed on the site.
“Government will not hesitate to act. All illegal structures will be demolished, and those responsible will bear the full cost of the demolition,” he warned, adding that bulldozers would soon move in to clear all unlawful developments in the area.
He disclosed that the ongoing excavation works were preparatory activities for proper land reclamation, identifying North China Construction Company and Falklands Nigeria Limited as the two major developers currently operating on the project.
“North China Construction Company controls slightly over 300 hectares for the development of the Waterfront City, while Falklands holds the larger portion, which will be developed as Niger City. These are two major cities that will emerge here in the near future,” he said.
Expressing confidence in the technical capacity and readiness of the developers, Barr. Ebonka stated that substantial portions of the land would be reclaimed within the next two to three months.
“In the coming weeks, there will be visible and extensive reclamation works. This marks the second phase of the project. The first phase involved the construction of access roads, payment of compensation and securing all statutory approvals,” he explained.
He added that the Delta State Government, under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, had fulfilled all its obligations under the project by securing necessary approvals and releasing funds promptly.
“The responsibility now lies with the developers to carry out their obligations, including land reclamation, construction of the bond wall, provision of access roads and delivery of other world-class infrastructure as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding,” he said.
Barr. Ebonka described the Asaba Waterfront City as a fully integrated, self-sustaining, state-of-the-art development comprising residential zones, an ICT hub, economic and commercial districts, as well as hospitality and leisure facilities.
He commended Governor Oborevwori for his proactive and visionary leadership, noting that the prevailing peace in Delta State had been instrumental to the steady progress recorded on the project.
On the project timeline, he expressed optimism that, given the current pace of work, the Asaba Waterfront City would be substantially delivered within the next three years.
