No fewer than 100 organizations and business owners affected by the recently signed N12bn gully erosion control project along the Federal College of Education Tech-Railway Line in Gombe metropolis are to share the sum of N389m as compensation.
This follows the approval of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, presided over by the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Friday.
The disclosure was made during a press briefing shortly after the EXCO meeting by the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji.
He said that the payment which will commence immediately, is to ensure seamless resettlement of affected persons and pave the way for the commencement of work in earnest.
The Commissioner added that the payment is also part of the requirements of the World Bank, in line with the partnership agreement.
Gambo Magaji said that, “As part of the World Bank requirements, the government of Gombe state will pay compensation to affected individuals and also pay for the cost of resettlement and lost of business environment so as to effectively pave way for contractors to begin work.
“The beneficiaries are in hundreds, almost one thousand people; there is compensation for houses, and also for business premises.
“There are also stipends for the elderly living around that area so that they are able to have a good livelihood,” he said.
Gambo Magaji also disclosed that the State Executive Council equally approved the Business Enabling Reforms Action Plan (BERAP), a critical requirement for the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms which is championed by the Presidential Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for which Gombe is a participant.
He said the Executive Council reviewed the BERAP document and approved the same for publication, indicating that the State has met the stipulated criteria.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Works, Engr. Maijama’a Kallamu said the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya is not only poised to provide benefitting structures for effective teaching and learning but other social and recreational facilities to further make the educational system in the newly established mega schools more pleasurable and inviting.
In the same vein, the Commissioner of Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari remarked that the five mega schools the commissioner explained include Government Secondary School Dukku and Kaltungo, Government Comprehensive Secondary School Dadinkowa, Government Girls Secondary School Doma and Government Science Secondary School Gombe.
She also said that each of these schools has its peculiar needs which the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya is working through a taskforce to comprehensively address.
The Commissioner of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Normadic Affairs, Dr Barnabas Malle revealed that the proactiveness of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in setting up a multi disciplinary committee on farmers/herder conflicts contributed to the zero conflict incident usually experienced during harvest times.
He said the state’s policy prohibiting open grazing from the months of October to January equally played a significant role in mitigating and entrenching mutual understanding between the farmers and the herders.
On the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya keeping up the steam on project execution, the Director-General, (Press Affairs) Government House, Ismaila Uba Misilli recalled that, since the Governor took over the reigns of leadership, Gombe has become a construction site for all manner of projects geared towards the social and economic wellbeing of the people.
The Director General, Press Affairs assured newsmen that the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya will not develop a cold feet towards leaving an enduring landmark in health, education, environment and human capital development among other sectors.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Ethical Orientation, Mohammed Mijinyawa Tilde, had, while coordinating the press briefing, explained that all approvals at the State Executive Council were done in the best interest of the people of the state.
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