OKOROCHA FIRES BACK: IMO GOVT TO DEMOLISH SENATOR ANYANWU's RADIO STATION

Imo state government has issued a seven day notice to an Owerri based radio station, Hot FM 99.5 within which it must vacate its present location.

The government agency, Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) who alleged that the radio station owned by Senator representing Imo East in the National Assembly, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, was built without approval, had directed it to pull down its structures or have the agency demolish them at the expiration of the stated period.

The letter conveying the order dated September 17, 2013 and signed by an official of a Consulting agency to OCDA, Proper Investment Limited, Chief Amadi, further directed the radio station to return the land to the state government.

Our man in Owerri gathered that Hot FM 99.5, Owerri has remained independent channel for the various strata of Imo society and beyond to air their views on state and national matters.

An aide to Gov. Rochas Okorocha who preferred anonymity accused the station of being the voice of the opposition in the state and vowed that it would pay the supreme price of forfeiting the land which he said, was not approved for a radio station.

A cross section of Owerri who spoke to our man posited that the threat is one out of the many antics of the Okorocha administration to cow the radio station into submission.

According to Mr. Stella Njemanze, 'Through its programmes, Hot FM has won the hearts of the people for its unbiased reportage. I don't see the radio station as being critical of the governor and his administration. Even in their audience participation programme, what happens is that people air their views about programmes and policies of the government.'

Reacting to the development, Public Relations Officer of the OCDA, Ada Okwara insisted that her agency had nothing against Hot FM, but added OCDA is currently engaged in what she described as 'Operation Show Your Building Permit.'

' Any landlord who present the permit of his or her building has nothing to fear, but those who fail to show theirs will be asked to obtain a permit and pay the stipulated penalty.'

She alleged that Hot FM could not produce a permit when they were asked to do so and threatened that the station risks demolition if it fails to obtain the permit and pay the N500,000 penalty.

Recall that Senator Anyanwu (APGA) has been having a running battle with Okorocha whci culminated in the clash of their convoys at a section of the
Owerri— Umuahia highway last year.