Gombe governor moves to compensate owners of land acquired by Dankwambo

Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has constituted a nine-man committee to verify all cases of land acquired by the past administration for development purposes in the state with a view to commencing immediate payment.

According to a statement signed and issued by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor on media and publicity, the committee is to be chaired by the state Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, and that: “the Governor has already approved N246 million for the payment of GDP34, a 206-hectare area acquired by the government in 2015 from 192 individuals”.

He added that: “Governor Yahaya has graciously revalidated the approval of the past government and released the money to reduce the suffering of those whose lands were acquired but not compensated.”

According to the media aide, committee members include: “The state Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Barr. Zubair Muhammad Umar, Commissioners of Lands and Survey Danladi Adamu and that of Works and Transport, Engineer Abubakar Bappah. Others are Commissioner of Police, Director, State Security Service (SSS), Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Senior District Head of Gombe, while the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands is to serve as Secretary.”

He added saying that the committee, which held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, will commence payment as soon as the 192 landowners are authenticated.