Owerri Capital Development Authority now headed by Engineer Francis Chukwu as General Manager in a bid to implement the distorted Owerri master plan has moved one of the public spaces contained in the recent government White Paper on report of Justice Iheaka’s panel on public lands illegally acquired by governor Okorocha last weekend moved in to recover and takeover the open space/ playground at Ikenegbu layout earlier sold by former governor Rochas Okorocha.
This was an open space mapped out for a playground for residents living in Ikenegbu area of old Owerri .
There are too many open spaces and public play grounds for the authority to recover and these include the space where former Chief of Staff to Okorocha built his personal house at New Owerri.
Other places to be recovered by the authority include the two Mechanic Villages at Orji and Nekede acquired and allocated to registered artisans since the 80s by the Mbakwe administration, the shell camp and Alvan Ikoku staff quarters as well as the IBC staff quarters in Orlu partly coveted by Okorocha to site his personal institution Rochas Foundation College, the large open space proposed for new government house in New Owerri as well as part of the court premises along Orlu road coveted by Okorocha to build the market place and section of the Willowwood Hotels.
There are currently spaces such as private and public spaces released to their original owners but already developed by intruders requiring legal backing or actions for the owners to repossess their properties or compensation from the intruders. For instance the property of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
More is expected to be heard on some of the recovered properties throughout the state.
