Ebonyi govt gives reasons for demolishing church building

The Commissioner for Capital City Development, Ebonyi state, Onyekachi Nwebonyi on Tuesday gave reasons why the ministry demolished a church, Evangelical Church of West Africa,(ECWA) in Abakaliki the state capital.

Nwebonyi explained that demolition of the church became necessary after the pastor in charge of the church refused to adhere to the capital city master plan.

Nwebonyi who disclosed this while briefing journalist in Abakaliki, said that when the church commenced the erection of the building, the villagers called the attention of the presiding pastor, that the church was blocking the road.

He noted that the villagers also informed the church that the new building was not in alignment with the existing road adding that rather than comply with the existing alignment, he went ahead with the construction

Nwebonyi alleged that the pastor made several attempts to bribe his way and adding that the State government cannot allow the structure to exist because it’s blocking the public way.

“Building a church does not allow someone blocking the street. We wrote severally to them to stop work and remove the building they already erected but all our pleas was not listened to so we moved in and demolished the building,” he said.

On the relocation of the different mass transits companies to the Central Park in Abakaliki, the commissioner stated that the state government took the decision to sanitize the state and maintain the master plan of the capital city.

He commended the transport companies for adhering to the directive of the October 31 deadline of the state government for all mass transit companies to move to the Central Park designated by the state government.

(New Telegraph)