The sum of N206 million has been released by the Bauchi state government for the payment of compensation to those affected by the construction of the 2,500 housing scheme in the state.
The State Commissioner for Housing and Environment, Hon. Hamisu Muazu Shira disclosed this while inaugurating the compensation committee in Bauchi on Thursday.
Shira said the timely release of the funds for the payment of the compensation is part of Governor Bala’s desire of to ensure that compensation is duly paid before commencement of any project.
“The state government used its rate to come up with the N206 million as real compensation to be paid to affected individuals”, he noted.
Hon. Shira explained that the money is meant for the payment of compensation to the affected persons in the construction of the houses in Bauchi, Ningi, Katagum and Jama’are emirates while that of Misau and Dass, government lands are going to be used.
The commissioner said, “today, we inaugurated our committee for the payment of compensation to the beneficiaries of the lands we selected to construct our mass housing programme across the 6 emirates of the state”.
He further explained that, it is usually a practice that whenever government decided to construct such structures, the payment of compensation became an issue.
“Hitherto in the past, government will take over people’s farms and leave them suffering due to non payment of compensation, but His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed said, this time around it will be a different ball game all together”, the commissioner recalled.
Hon. Shira who said that the present administration is by the people and for the people, added that, eventhough contractors have been mobilized, the Governor insisted that before work commences, compensation must be duly paid to the affected citizens.
The Commissioner said he has directed the contractors handing the housing project to within 48 hours, commence work as the issue of payment of compensation cannot affect the execution of the project.
Commenting on the development, the District Head of Miri, Malam Husaini Abubakar Othman
whose jurisdiction, the Housing project for Bauchi LG is to be constructed Commended Governor Bala Mohammed for coming up with the initiative.
Malam Othman, also a member of the compensation committee while describing the project as a landmark achievement, called on his subjects to cooperate and support the state government to ensure smooth execution of the scheme.
