Jigawa State Government Allocates 100 Hectares of Land to FMC Birnin Kudu

From Ali Rabiu Ali, Dutse.

The Jigawa State Government has allocated 100 hectares of land to the Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kudu. The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan Birniwa, made this known in statement during an interview with newsmen in Dutse.

The hospital project, once completed, will reduce hardship clients faced in seeking for advanced medical care for people living within the State and neighbouring Kano, Bauchi and Yobe States. It will also benefit people living in neighboring communities and other parts of the state with employment and boost business activities.

The Permanent Secretary noted that "the project will benefit largely Jigawa indigenes the most, because it will be built within the State." He also stressed that "it is the State  Government that allocated the land located along Birnin Kudu to Kiyawa Road, near Kangire community, and because of the importance of the project, the State Government also paid compensation for the land to the 348 owners, fairly in accordance with government land compensation rate".

Birniwa said that allocation of land is a government duty and the government and in this case, the government also decided to pay for the compensation of the land, houses, and trees that are within the land allocated to the hospital.

"This is a government policy because the Federal Government promised to build the permanent site of the Federal Medical Centre Birnin kudu with a view to upgrade the hospital to provide better service for patients".

According to him, the 100 hectares of land belong to 348 people  out of which only one person has a land size of two (2) hectares, while 9 others have one hectare of land each, and the remaining 338 owners share less than 88 hectares. More than 50% of the owners have a land size of less than half a hectare.

He reiterated that "we will also pay for the two (2) houses that are located within the allocated land, as this measure  will provide saccour, calm the owners, and reduce tension" he said.

The Permanent Secretary then appealed to the community and the land owners to exercise patience and accept the project in good faith, as  it will bring about development in the area and improve their livelihood. He also said  the government would not compromise its indigenes but rather always partake in bringing developments to the state.

Following the grievances of the Kangire community that they were underpaid by the Hospital Management, newsmen interviewed the Medical Director of the Hospital Dr. Adamu Abdullahi Atterwahmie, and he confirmed that the payment for all compensations were not from the hospital but rather from the Jigawa State Government.

Atterwahmie also said there are many people among the owners with as little as 0.009 and 0.06 hectares of land on the allocated area, and all were judiciously compensated by the State Government. The Medical Director assured that the community will benefit immensely through employment opportunities and increase in business activities.

He called on the Kangire community to actively accepted and own the project.