Bayelsa Residents Call On Governmnent To Provide Basic Amenities

 

Bayelsans Occupying the Anyama Housing Estate Phase one  in Yenagoa Local Government have called on the Bayelsa State Government to come to their aid by providing the basic amenities like toilets, light, water and security.

The residents of the estate made the plea on Thursday when members of the Federated Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, Bayelsa State went to the estate as part of their routine tour.

Recall that the estate  which was meant for the low income earners was hurriedly commissioned by the former governor of Bayelsa State Henry Seriake Dickson on 12th of February, 2020 two days to his hand over without the basic amenities that are hither to found in  well built estates.

Speaking  to the FCC members, Daniel Oputu a resident of  the estate disclosed  that the estate has different landlords who parade themselves as landlords stating that the painful aspect of it is that they don't provide the neccesary facilities like toilet after collecting rent.

Oputu maintained that almost 59% of the tenants are illegal occupants disclosing that one John Amakiri illegally rents the house to them.

He said "My apartment belongs to one Clement Angalabiri. I'm not one of those illegal occupants. I'm the chairman of this estate but let's  say about 50% of the occupants are illegal tenants because one man who calls himself  CLO (John Amakiri ) illegally rented his house to them.

He said that up till 95% of the occupants don't have toilets adding that "As I'm here I'm trying to arrange toilet for myself at the back.   Even if you complain to the so called landlord's they will even listen to you.

" When we made inquiry and we were told that these houses are allocated to them  by the government.Some of the apartments, two landlord's are laying claim. Some tenants don't even know who is their landlord.

 "We are facing so many problems.  When you want to take a house when you go to this John Amakiri at the ministry of housing he will tell you to pay to him and he will come and allocate the place  without you seeing your landlord for the next three years.

"This place is up to about 200 acres of land and these are the houses that they have built. These houses are not completed even. Legally you cannot even rent a house when the house is not completed but we are managing it. I have been here for three years and here I'm paying about 200,000. 

 "We have about 42 blocks and 84 flats and almost all of them are occupied. I want the government to come and assist us by putting these toilet facilities. We don't have light. We don't have water  except two or three boreholes that people dug. Everyday we spend nothing less than 500 for fetching water with labour. We lack security. Everybody is a security officer here in the night.

Also speaking, Gentleman Siloko   said I'm occupying here based on rent. Before the commissioning, there was no stair case, no toilet electrification supposed to be done but none. So if you pay you  look for a source of light. Every land lord collects rent  based on negotiation. But most of us are paying two bedroom flats for 250,000, 100,000.

Madam Preye   Angaye said that the estate are allocated to the big men in the stat adding  that Even the places that they have  not dug foundation have  been allocated to o the big men. 

"  Some people came to spray something  in our farm lands.We learnt that they were sent by one man who is also a landlord here.

At Okaka housing estate a woman Madam Joy Onbu said that she came to the estate through one Philip who claimed to be  the brother  (Akpos)  of the contractor of the place.

She said "I came here through Philip and he didn't collect any money from me.  When I came I gave the person staying in my present apartment 70,000  and since that time I have not paid anything. I also gave Philip 20,000. I have been here for four years now and I'm not paying anything because he is not disturbing anybody but now he said that everybody will pay 100,000  because people are subletting the house to other people.

"We have steady NEPA light  and we did the toilets by ourselves.

When John Amakiri was contacted, he said that he was not an illegal landlord. He said that the houses have been completed and given out to commissioners and other top governmnent  officials adding that " I'm standing in for the government.