Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja Minister Nyesom Wike says the FCT Administration (FCTA) will pay 825.8 million naira as compensation for the construction of the second runway for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Wike made this claim in Abuja on Tuesday, while briefing reporters at the end of a closed-door meeting with members of the Jiwa community and other stakeholders.
He said that the amount will be paid through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for compensation and resettlement of people from the community affected by the project.
He added that as part of the incentive, 12 people from the community would be employed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies and 10 by the FCTA.
He added that the government would also build the Tunga Madaki bridge along with a five kilometer road from the bridge to the community to facilitate the movement of people.
The minister explained that the project would be included in the 2024 budget of the FCTA.
Wike also said that the FCTA would also provide a modern health center to provide quality health care services to people in the community.
He said that a commitment would be signed based on the agreement between the government and the community.
He identified the signatories as the permanent secretaries of the FCTA and the Ministry of Aviation, the head of Jiwa, the chairman of the Abuja Municipal Council and the commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission.
“If that is done today and the money is paid tomorrow or tomorrow, the contractors will no longer be delayed. They must move to the location immediately and begin work.
“Then the second track is here to stay,” he said.
He said the current administration was determined to ensure the second lead was delivered.
He congratulated Jiwa chief Isa Idris for mobilizing his people to attend the meeting to resolve the crises.
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo said he had raised the issue at his table, adding that the project should have been delivered in July.
Keyamo said the contractors could not be mobilized due to the issue of compensation.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Olusade Adesola, said that the completion of the project requires the support of all relevant stakeholders.
Adesola praised Wike for stepping in to ensure a speedy resolution of the issue.
Emmanuel Meribol, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, stated that the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2022.
Meribole said the project was awarded to four contractors in April, with CCECC Nigeria Limited being the main contractor.
However, he said the project was halted due to disagreement over compensation to affected community members.
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Earlier, the Jiwa chief said that the Ministry of Aviation, through its consultant, had previously set the compensation at 2.5 million naira per hectare, for the 12,000 hectares allocated to the project.
Idris further said that the amount was later revised downward to 700,000 naira per hectare when the FCTA took up the discussion as the legitimate authority to determine how much compensation would be paid.
He said that the community took the matter to the Public Complaints Commission with a view to resolving the matter amicably.
The community leader said his people were concerned that the 700,000 naira offered per hectare would not be enough for the affected people to acquire other land.
(YAYA)
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