In a significant development, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya distributed compensation checks on Tuesday to 343 property owners affected by the ongoing erosion control project across various communities in the Gombe metropolis suburb.
The compensation amounts were disbursed as part of the State Government’s efforts to address the repercussions of the erosion control initiative.
Governor Yahaya, while presenting the cheques, emphasized the importance of preventing unnecessary encroachment into available lands. The erosion control project, a collaborative effort between the Gombe State Government and the State Project Office of Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL), funded by the World Bank, was initiated in November 2023. The project, valued at over N12 billion, aims to tackle a 21-kilometer gully erosion affecting areas such as the Federal College of Education (Tech) Gombe, Railway, London Mai Dorawa, Malam Inna, Wuro Ledde, Wuro Kesa, and Arawa quarters.
Addressing the recipients during the presentation ceremony, Governor Yahaya expressed the administration’s commitment to ensuring that those affected by the project are adequately compensated for a smooth relocation process. He specified that a total of N389,740,014 has been allocated for compensation to Project Affected Persons and the overall implementation of the Resettlement Action Plan.
Governor Yahaya acknowledged the changing market values for land and assets and affirmed the government’s decision to offer decent compensation to facilitate the affected individuals’ relocation. He urged the beneficiaries to utilize this opportunity effectively.
The Governor highlighted the State Government’s contribution, stating, “Our administration has so far paid the sum of N892,740,114 as a government counterpart contribution to enable the implementation of the FCE(T) Gully Erosion Project.” He also noted the successful execution of the GSU-Mallam Inna gully erosion project under NEWMAP and reiterated the commitment to addressing other gully erosion sites through partnerships with ACReSAL and other stakeholders.
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Governor Inuwa Yahaya clarified that the compensation aims to alleviate the inconveniences associated with relocation and provide support for those affected by the erosion control project to rebuild their lives in their new environments.