RSG Gives 7-Day Ultimatum To Illegal Occupants Of Quarters

O

ccupants of government
quarters who erect illegal structures in their premises or convert them to restaurants and drinking bars may face eviction from the quarters.

Rivers State Head of Service, Barr Samuel LongJohn stated this last Tuesday in his office in Port Harcourt while inaugurating two committees on Rent Deduction and Identification of Government Quarters.

Barr LongJohn frowned at the indiscriminate erection of illegal structures in government quarters by occupants and their conversion to restaurants, drinking bars and other unwholesome usage, and directed that those indulging in such acts be given seven days notice to revert or be evicted.

He also noted with disgust that out of over 1,060 occupants of government quarters, rent deductions of over 50 per cent of allottees have not been effected as indicated in a document from the Ministry of Finance while names of some allottees were not reflected on the list.

The Head of Service, therefore, charged members of both committees to take their assignments seriously, do a thorough job, and report their findings to his office within one month, stressing that their report would also provide a platform to resolve all issues relating to the rightful ownership of the houses.

“We must identify our houses; some people occupying the houses are not supposed to be there. Your report will also give us the opportunity to resolve issues bordering on the rightful ownership of the quarters”, he stressed.

According to the Head of Service, the terms of reference for the Committee on Rent Deduction, headed by a Permanent Secretary, Mr Pius Jeremiah, include, to identify occupants of government quarters that default in rent payment, ascertain the amount owed, and advise on how to recover the debts.

The Committee on the Identification of Government Quarters, headed by another Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ophelia Achor, is expected to determine all government quarters and their occupants, collate particulars of occupants as well as identify illegal structures and wrongful use of the quarters.

Responding on behalf of both committees, Chairman of the Committee on the Identification of Government Quarters, Mrs. Ophelia Achor thanked the Head of Service for finding them capable for the job, and promised to live up to expectation and deliver on time.

It would be recalled that for sometime now, there has been a barrage of requests from public servants for allocation of official accommodation.

However, their requests could not be met due to the meagre number of government quarters available for a workforce of over 60,000 including the newly recruited 13,200 teachers. The Head of Servce said that it was to reduce this gap that the government decided on the need for proper identification of available houses.

Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Leyii Kwanee (standing), throwing questions to Rivers State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Chamberlain Peterside over the N300 billion Bond requested by the State Governor at the sitting of the House at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday. With him are Hon Golden Chioma (right) and another lawmaker (right). Photo: Chris Monyanaga