By Praise Chinecherem
The Anambra State government has warned hoodlums parading themselves as members of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) and extorting money from house owners in the state to desist from such acts or face the consequences.
Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB), Barr. Chike Maduekwe who gave the warning in a press briefing in Awka, said the government would not fold its arms and watch miscreants take over its responsibility.
Describing the development as disturbing, Maduekwe said he had informed the COREN leadership in the state which denied knowledge of the development, urging the public to be alert and report such individuals to the police.
He said, “I’ve been inundated with barrage of queries by government officials and private individuals about some anomalous situations that came up last one week.
“A group of young men are going around in many parts of the state placing demand notices in the name of Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), announcing they’re now in charge of Physical Planning and Building Control and Regulations and demanding money from house owners.
“It’s important to inform the public that following challenges in Physical Planning and Building Control and Regulations, including infiltration of quacks, leading to building collapses, we recently had an understanding with all professional bodies for some form of collaboration to ensure integrity and sanity in the process of building and development control.
“We also met with members of COREN who requested for some sort of understanding so that engineers with applications for permit certifying them currently practicing They were to give us their project compliance forms which the engineers must fill and we send back to them for endorsement with a fixed fee of N10,000.
“Suddenly, what we see are persons moving around, especially in Oba, Idemili North and South and Onitsha, perhaps impersonating COREN, delegating responsibilities to holigans and hoodlums, interfering with our work.
“Someone called to inform me that they told him they’re now in charge of Physical Planning Board and demanded N300,000 from him. I learnt they’ve pasted over 500 forms in different buildings, including those with approvals.
“We need to send a warning to these hooligans that the state cannot tolerate it. They can’t shortchange government. If they don’t desist, we’ll bring them to the full embrace of the law for impersonation and running a criminal enterprise.
“I’ve reported the matter to the state leadership of COREN and I’ll take it up with the national. They can’t take over the responsibility of a regulatory body set up by law.
“We also seize the opportunity to inform the public that anyone that pastes anything on their buildings, demanding money as approval fee, please report them to us and the police immediately.”
