Min. Nyenpan Issues 48 Hours Ultimatum To Zoning Division
It appears that Liberia’s Public Works Minister Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan is one Liberian who “talks and do”. At his confirmation hearings on February 15, 2018, he said his administration will have zero tolerance for zoning violators.
“We will demolish structures that are deliberately built in alleys, waterways contrary to zoning regulations and city planning”, he warned.
Barely one and half month in office, the middle age Minister has begun translating his promise into practical reality.
This was demonstrated when he, on Monday, March 26, 2018 mandated staff of the Zoning Division to ensure that all complaints are handled in a timely manner that will alleviate all forms of suspicions against the Ministry, adding, all former complaints must be forwarded to his office for review and subsequent administrative and technical actions.
“I would have told you to handle all complaints within 24 hours, but is too early for now. So all complaints coming in must be processed within 48 hours as of now”, he mandated the Zoning staff.
Minister Nyenpan spoke when he met with staff of Zoning Division to assess current constraints and challenges facing the unit. His latest visit to Zoning Division is in continuation of his “management by walking style” of leadership in order to ascertain what he called certain basic facts that will inform his judgment in his reform drive.
He told the staff that, the issue of Zoning is critical to his leadership, citing the safety of citizens as a top priority for the government.
According to him, the work of zoning was an extension of the ministry’s mandate in the communities, noting that since he took over, he has been confronted with serious zoning matters through documentation of complaints addressed to his office.
The former Sinoe County Senator told his staff that it is the ministry’s responsibility to expeditiously address those concerns so that community dwellers cannot lose confidence in the ministry.
He reminded them that the government is a pro poor government that intends to foster the agenda of the ordinary people at all levels, making specific reference to individuals who are deliberately constructing on the alley ways against zoning standards and regulations.
The former LPRC Executive instructed the Zoning Department to immediately begin to assess the Battery Factory community connecting Providence Island, where according to him President George Weah’s intents to build a conference hall.
Meanwhile, the Minister and his staff have agreed that the formulation of building code and updating of the National Zoning Law (drafted 1958) is more than necessary-stressing, we must be able to respond to current realities taking into account a broader Land Use Map that will capture the entire country.
