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By Sylvia Tochukwu-Ngige | http://Sylviangige.com
AWKA, Anambra State Friday, June 26, 2026
The Ifite-Awka area, a hub for students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, came under scrutiny on Friday as a Joint Tripartite Committee on Ifite-Awka Regeneration carried out a detailed inspection of hostels and infrastructure.
Led by the Managing Director of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Dr. Ossy Onuko, the team also included the Awka South LGA Chairman, represented by a Supervisor, and the UNIZIK Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Kingsley Ubaoji.
What the team found
The inspection uncovered deplorable hostel conditions: no water, no electricity, leaking roofs, and faulty plumbing. Wastewater was seen discharging directly onto roads, while shop and kiosk extensions have further narrowed access routes. The roads and drainage system were also in a poor state.
Several buildings were found to have no approval. Some were erected on waterways around Yahoo Junction, while another was built under high-tension cables.
‘7-day ultimatum, or we pull it down’ – Onuko
Addressing journalists, the ACTDA boss said, “We are carrying out incremental regeneration of the capital city. Individual actions must not jeopardise it. If people see cleanliness as a collective duty, they will protect their environment.”
Dr. Onuko issued a 7-day ultimatum to owners of buildings under high-tension lines and those with illegal shop/kiosk projections to remove them or face government action.
He disclosed that the Raw Materials Testing Laboratory will conduct integrity tests on the soil to ascertain the structural safety of the inspected buildings. “Any building that fails the test will be demolished by ACTDA,” he stated.
The ACTDA boss said the exercise is not a witch-hunt. “Our goal is a clean environment, proper water channels, and to prevent erosion and gully formation. Government cannot do everything,” he said.
“Every compound must have a catchment pit. Your soakaway must work. The roads are filthy and hard to use. If we return and setbacks are not maintained, we will enforce the law. Demolition is not our priority, but we will act where necessary. Government is not out to punish anyone but to make life better,” he said.
Students told to relocate
The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Ubaoji, urged students living in the dilapidated hostels to move in with friends immediately. He said any structure certified unfit after testing will be pulled down.
The President of the Student Union Government of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Giant Comr. Chukwusom Samuel Ochuba, supported the exercise and said it would improve students’ welfare and safety. He commended the committee for intervening and appealed to students to comply with its directives.
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Sylvia’s Take
Ifite-Awka has been on the edge for too long. Illegal hostels on waterways, buildings under high-tension cables, and roads choked by kiosks are not just illegal — they are dangerous. This taskforce inspection is a step in the right direction. But the people of Awka will be watching: will ACTDA enforce the 7-day ultimatum, or will it be another press briefing with no action? Students’ lives are at stake, and landlords must be made to understand that profit cannot come before safety.
Sylvia Tochukwu-Ngige Founder www.sylviangige.com | Where women’s power meets real life
Internal Links:
1. https://sylviangige.com/category/infrastructure/
2. https://sylviangige.com/category/education/
3. https://sylviangige.com/category/environment/
External Links:
1. https://actda.an.gov.ng/ – For updates on Awka Capital Territory development and building approvals.
2. https://unizik.edu.ng/ – Official UNIZIK portal for student affairs and accommodation notices.
3. https://an.gov.ng/ – For policy on urban regeneration, erosion control, and public safety.
