A leading housing advocacy group under the aegis of Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has urged the Rivers State Government to restrain from its plan to demolish the transmission station of Daar Communications Plc in the state.
The Executive Director of HDAN made the appeal in a statement released in Abuja following the ultimatum.
HDAN urged the state government to consider the impact the demolition will have on the employees who depend on their job to survive and negotiate with the media organization for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The statement read in part, “HDAN appeal is coming after a quit notice the Rivers State Government, through the Ministry of Works, served Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Raypower Radio Station, in the early hours of Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
The quit notice signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Mrs Ebere Dinnis Emenike, requested the Media House to remove its structure for a proposed housing project within 48 hours.
HDAN urged the state government to consider negotiating with the media organisation for a peaceful resolution and to save the jobs of the staff who work there.
HDAN commended the urban renewal policy of the State Government while pleading with the government to temper justice with mercy.
The leading housing advocacy group also appealed to the Rivers State Government to review the quit notice given to Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Raypower Radio Station.
Recall that the Rivers State government had issued the notice in a letter which simply carries ‘To whom it may concern’ saying it will demolish the transmission station of the African Independent Television/Ray Power in Ozuoba, outskirts of Port Harcourt.
The letter which was dated March 20, 2023, is titled ‘Proposed GRA phase 5 Ozuoba, Port Harcourt demolition notice’
It reads, “Following the imminent commencement of the above project, all structure (s) impacting on the Right-of-way of the project have been earmarked for demolition including your own.
Consequently, you are by this notice requested to remove such structure (s) within forty-eight (48) hours to allow for speedy progress of work.”
It would also be recalled that the land on which the AIT/Raypower Radio station built its transmission station has been a subject of dispute between the state government and Daar Communications Plc.