Bayelsa gov’t officials sealed property over developer’s alleged refusal to comply with contravention notices

YENAGOA – The Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board has sealed a property on account of the developer’s blatant refusal to comply with contravention notices served on him by the Board.

According to a statement by the Head of the Public Relations Unit of the Board, Mr Imgbi Gbalipre Stanley, the property, which is a one-storey hotel facility located at the Okaka Housing Estate in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was sealed on Friday, September 16, 2022.

Speaking during the sealing exercise, the Executive Chairman, Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board, Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei said the developer deliberately refused to comply with the directives of the Board, despite all the enforcement notices that were served on him.

The Executive Chairman, who spoke through Town Planner Tari Ikposo of the Development Control Department of the Board noted that it was in the year 2018 that staff on routine development control exercise, noticed the construction and engaged the developer by serving all the necessary notices but he ignored them all.

“We will serve you Stop Work Notice, which is supposed to make the developer visit the Board followed by Contravention Notice. When a developer fails to comply with this procedure leading to plan approval/development permit, the matter will be taken to the Tribunal, upon the expiration of the mandatory days”.

The chairman said it was his refusal to comply with the several notices served on him that led the Baord to take the developer to the Physical Planning and Development Tribunal, adding that he also refused to honour even the court summons as well as all the hearings.

Alabo Ekeuwei said it was as a result of his refusal to honour the Board as well as the Tribunal that has led to the action after securing a court order that gave the Board the power to seal the property.

According to Ekeuwei, except he complies with the Board’s requirements by providing all the requested documents regarding the property, the facility will remain sealed, adding that if he disobeys and forcefully reopens the property, he will be arrested and prosecuted for contempt of court, as contained in the law establishing the Board.

He however used the medium to admonish land developers to always approach the Board for required approvals before embarking on any development in the state.

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