The Federal Government has begun the payment of compensation to affected persons in the ongoing dualisation of the Keffi-Makurdi expressway.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule stated this, when he hosted Federal Government delegation on the compensation, led by a Director with the Federal Ministry of Works, Ishaq Muhammad in Lafia.
The governor who was happy that those affected by the ongoing road project were being compensated, outlined the modalities for payment and urged for transparent exercise.
The governor specifically directed that payment to the beneficiaries be made through cheques and not direct cash, as this would ensure transparency in the exercise.
Sule added that Nasarawa State prefers the team to handle the compensation money, write out the cheques, while the state government hands over the cheques to the beneficiaries.
“I don’t want any penny to come to Nasarawa State, let it go directly to the beneficiaries, because at the end of the day, what we want is development,” he stated.
The governor however appealed to the people of the state, who stand to benefit from the disbursement, to agree to accept what the FG has agreed to pay as compensation, as according to him, the people would be the greatest beneficiaries of the dualisation project.
He disclosed that the state government, on its part, will appoint four people, including a former permanent secretary from the state ministry of works, who was previously involved in the initial process leading to the compensation, the state Liaison Officer in Abuja, Philip Maingwa, a representative of the state ministry for lands, as well as a community leader, who will identify the rightful beneficiaries.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for accepting to pay the compensation, and urged the team to do so with utmost sincerity, “as failure to do so, even if it’s for a tree, may end up obstructing the timely completion of the project.”
Sule then advised the FG’s team to do the payment in phases, starting with the Keffi-Akwanga axis, which will also serve as a testing ground for the payment process.
Earlier, the leader of the FG’s compensation team, Ishaq Muhammad said, they were at the Government House, to seek the advice of the governor and to inform him that, the process of paying compensation to persons affected by the ongoing dualisation project on the Keffi-Makurdi expressway has commenced.
Muhammad, who is a director and unit manager, road sector development team, at the Federal Ministry of Works, said they were also in Lafia, to seek the help of the governor on the modalities for the disbursement of the funds to the beneficiaries.
He disclosed that the project started in 2017, is presently at 40 percent completion and is expected to be completed within three years.
“The compensation became necessary because existing utilities will be relocated, as well as payment of compensation to affected persons along the project route,” Muhammad said.
The dualisation of the Keffi-Makurdi road, according to the official, involves the construction of a new carriageway and rehabilitation of the existing highway, with new bridges constructed, with elongation of existing culverts
