Bago announces short-term development plan for Bida town

Niger State governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, has disclosed the commencement of a short-term 20-year development plan for New Bida town.

The plan was intended to strategically achieve its modernisation in line with his administration’s vision of urban renewal and development in the state.

Governor Bago stated this at a town hall meeting/stakeholders engagement on ‘New Bida 20 Years Development Plan’ organized by the Niger State Ministry of Lands and Survey in collaboration with New Niger Development Projects NNDP) in Bida Local Government area of Niger State.

He maintained that the 20-year New Bida development plan is aimed at boosting and engendering rapid socio-economic development of the town with much attention to the areas of modern social amenities for growth and development, to be extended to other cities to include Suleja, Kontagora and Minna respectively.

The governor said that the ring road of 44 km dual carriageway is aimed at diverting traffic, adding that a new city will also spring up in the area and social amenities, improve land values of over 300,000 plots worth billions of naira to be created for New Bida extension as well as a 100-megawatt solar farm will be provided for the inhabitants in the area.

The governor further warned the community members to be wary of land grabbers and speculators, urging them to embark on planting of economic trees to improve their land values, especially during compensation.

Bago advised the people to be patient and support the project, stressing that the state government will not collect anybody’s land but assured the owners of any property that will be affected by the project to be compensated accordingly.

He stressed that constitutionally, every land belongs to the government, just as he recognises the natives while he appreciated the contributions, collaborations and advises from all, reassured to be a listening leader.

Bago also revealed that the development is going to be in phases of 20 years short-term and 50 years long-term plans, adding that over three million trailers passing through can generate N3 billion IGR monthly left untapped while he insisted on ensuring development despite inadequate financial resources available to the state

Earlier, the Etsu Nupe and chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar dispelled the community’s fears that the government is taking over their lands.

The state Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Maurice Magaji, noted that the event was a defining moment and a shared commitment to transform Bida into an economically vibrant city, adding that the plan provided a foundation for sustainable growth, shaped plans to meet the aspirations of the people and environmental resilience, among others.

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