Nasarawa pays N143m compensation in Lafia

In 2013, the state government paid up compensation on two different areas of the state capital, first on a land size of 50 hectares which the government acquired behind Government House, near Lafia-East, for the purpose of developing a new layout now called Asokoro of Lafia and later on a land size of 206 hectares […]

In 2013, the state government paid up compensation on two different areas of the state capital, first on a land size of 50 hectares which the government acquired behind Government House, near Lafia-East, for the purpose of developing a new layout now called Asokoro of Lafia and later on a land size of 206 hectares donated to the federal government for the development of the newly established Federal University, Lafia (FULafia).
 So far, in the current year, the state government has acquired lands in four areas, for various development projects.
 A land size of 51.95 hectares was recently acquired at Akruba at the gateway into Lafia, along Lafia-Makurdi Road to step down the national grip passing through the state, with a 60MVA, 132/33KV substation.
The sum of N55 million was approved by the governor for compensation to natives and property owners there, Agassi said.
 Close to this area, in Duduguru area of Jenkwe Development Area of Obi, also along lafia-Makurdi Road, the state government acquired the land size of 20.210 hectares for the construction of a truck terminal to tackle illegal parking in the metropolis of the state capital.
 “On this land size, the state governor approved the sum of about N26.6 million, and that has been paid to property owners there, both for structures and economic trees as compensation. The state does not owe anybody,” Agassi said.
 The third land is at Shinge, an outskirt of Lafia, where the government recently flagged off a construction project to bring up a model hospital on the land size of 40 hectares. Agassi said the compensation paid was N45 million, for structures and economic trees.
 There is also the helipad for police, which the federal government proposed to build.
It is located along Shendam Road, near Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) complex on land size of 10 hectares. A compensation of N15 million was paid, Agassi said.
 The commissioner said the payment of compensation is upper most on the governor’s mind.
“The projects are for the development of our people, God’s own people.
“But we don’t take lands. That is grabbing, we acquire lands in accordance with Lands Use Act, which provides for compensation.
“That is what my boss, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura is doing,”  Agassi said.