ANGELE MAKES CASE FOR HOUSE AGENTS, LANDLORDS AS HE HOSTS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS
By Sunday Memeh
The Commissioner for Housing, Delta State, Hon. Godknows Angele has during a crucial meeting with the Community Newspaper Publishers in the state, disclosed that the State Government has constituted a Taskforce to checkmate and regulate the activities of the House Agents, Landlords/Landladies and Developers in the state.
The Honourable Commissioner, Hon. Godknows Angele who is a two-time Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, Delta State made the statement while playing host to the Publishers of the Community Newspaper in the State, led by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Community Newspapers, Hon. Comr. Prince Eromosere Joseph U. Orhomonokpaye.
Some of the Community Newspapers represented at the meeting include; Ika Weekly Newspaper, Ika Mirror Newspaper, Delta Guide Newspaper, Urhobo Voice Newspaper, Pathway Newspaper, Delta Sun Newspaper, Hill Nigeria Media Newspaper, Anioma News, Rainbow Newspaper, and others.
Speaking during the event, the Honourable Commissioner said that the responsibility of his office is to handle, build, supervise and monitor all Delta State Government’s building projects in the State to ensure that they are built to the desired standards.
He also noted that his duty is to supervise other individual building projects, particularly those building hotel projects of four to six storey buildings for the avoidance of collapses.
He stated that the Delta State Governor, Elder Francis Sheriff Oborevwori was not happy when he heard of the story of the ongoing construction of duplex that collapsed in Owa-Alero Community recently. He said based on that, the Delta State Government has made a law and constituted a Taskforce to help regulate the activities of those parading themselves as House Agents, saying because what they are doing to people in he name of Agent Fees is too bad. He said they are still going to talk to the Landlords amicably about the increase in the house rent.
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Continuing, the Commissioner stated that if the Taskforce in any way discover a building project that is under construction particularly storey buildings the owner is using substandard materials for will be broken down and the owner will have to start afresh.
He noted that under two years in office, they have commissioned about eight buildings at the State Commissioner’s Quarters in Asaba. Under three months several projects have been commissioned by the State Government, including the Customary Court.
Hon. Godknows Angele said that another Court of Appeal complex is ready for commissioning immediately the Governor returns from Brazil with the President Almed Bola Timubu. He also mentioned that in Agbor, at the Army Barracks, 181 Amphibious Battalion is also ready for commissioning.
He mentioned some Federal Constituencies like, Ika, Isoko and Ndoka Federal Constituencies where he said massive projects will soon be executed and commissioned. He stated that very soon, they will begin Ground Breaking for more essential projects at Owa-Alero Community, Okwe in Asaba, and in Warri axis of the state.
He also said that they have a lot of housing facilities in Sapele North, saying that they usually consider an area that has enough space and peaceful. He said if they discover that their is crisis in that community where the project is going on, the project will be suspended and will be taken to another constituency. He said their next step is to move to Ororokpe for more essential projects.
The Commissioner mentioned about the need of Public Private Partnership, (PPP) where he explained that a developer will buy land from the Government, develop the land and the state government will in return have her own equity share in it.
Having said all that, the Commissioner appreciated the Community Newspaper Publishers for finding time to visit his office. Angele encouraged the Publishers to always relate to the grassroots as journalism is all about relating to those at the grassroots level for effective gathering and dissemination of accurate information.
Speaking earlier at the Commissioner’s Office, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Newspapers, Hon. Comr. Prince-Eromosere Joseph U. Eromosere, thanked the Commissioner for his open door policy and transparency in the discharge of his official assignments. He described the Honourable Commissioner as the best Commissioner in Delta State.
He informed the Honourable Commissioner their reason of coming to see him, saying that they have decided to pay him a familiarization visit for his good works in the state to enable the journalists in the state, particularly the community tabloids to have direct access to working with him for greater achievement of the MORE Agenda of the State.