By Amos Aar
The Benue State Government has paid at least N71 billion in compensation for properties and interests affected by the construction of federal road projects in the state, the Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, Engr. Tivfa Wombo, has disclosed.
Wombo made the disclosure during an inspection tour of road projects in Makurdi led by the Commissioner for Works, Hon. Aii Yenge.
During the inspection, Wombo briefed the newly appointed commissioner and journalists on projects being handled by the ministry, including government interventions that were not immediately visible from the scale of physical construction.
According to Wombo, the state government had paid N5 billion in compensation for the right-of-way of the dualisation of the Makurdi-Enugu road, which he described as an ongoing federal project extending from Wurukum towards the Benue-Nugu boundary.
He said the payment was made following approval by Governor Hyacinth Alia to enable the Federal Government and its contractors to access the required corridor and continue work on the project.
Wombo informed the compensation formed part of the state’s contribution towards federal road projects being executed in Benue.
He further disclosed that the state government paid N1.3 billion in compensation around Wurukum to facilitate construction of activities, including the relocation of affected facilities and businesses.
He listed the affected interests to include military and immigration facilities, shops around the rice market, banks, Shafa filling station and other filling stations located within the project’s right-of-way.
The director also disclosed that N800 million was paid as compensation for properties affected by road construction works in Buruku.
Wombo explained that some of the properties affected by the River Buruku bridge project belonged to individuals who followed the government’s compensation procedure before their structures were removed to make way for the construction.
He said the compensation payments were part of interventions made by the Alia administration through the Ministry of Works as the state’s contribution to federal road projects in the state.
Wombo also clarified that the flyover at Wurukum was separate from the Wurukum-Air Force Base-Tyomu road project.
He said Governor Alia had lobbied for the flyover, which was subsequently provided by the Federal Government, adding that the project was presented as a contribution to the state during its flag-off by the minister of Works, Dave Umahi.
Wombo said the ministry had completed its obligations on the projects discussed, stressing that the interventions were intended to ensure that federal road projects in Benue continued without unnecessary delays.
