By Yakubu Lawal
The Katsina State Government has commenced preparations for the dualisation of IBB Way in Katsina metropolis, with the payment of ₦706.67 million as compensation to property owners affected by the road expansion project.
The project, which involves the conversion of the existing IBB Way into a dual carriageway, is a long-proposed infrastructure upgrade that had remained unrealised under previous administrations but is now being implemented by the government of Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda.
The dualisation will cover about three kilometres, stretching from the College of Preliminary Studies (CPS) through the Mobil Junction and the Underpass Bridge to Kofar Kaura, a major commercial and traffic corridor in Katsina city.
To pave the way for the project, the state government, through the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, has paid compensation to 161 property owners whose buildings fall within the project corridor. The Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Dr. Faisal Umar Kaita, presented the compensation cheques to the affected owners at a ceremony held at the Katsina Local Government Secretariat.
According to the commissioner, the total amount disbursed as compensation stands at ₦706,666,540.92. He added that beneficiaries have been given a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the affected properties to enable the contractor to move to site for the commencement of construction works.
Dr. Kaita further explained that the government has allowed affected property owners to remove any salvageable materials from their buildings before demolition begins.
The dualisation of IBB Way is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and reduce congestion along one of the busiest business corridors in the Katsina metropolis.
Stakeholders in Katsina Local Government Area have commended the Radda administration for what they described as a people-oriented urban renewal programme, noting that the project will have a direct positive impact on residents and businesses in the area. They also pledged their continued support for government policies and programmes.
An elder statesman and one of the affected property owners, Alhaji Bilya Sanda, described the project as a welcome development, praising Governor Radda for the policy of paying compensation before the commencement of development projects.
The Katsina State Government says the IBB Way dualisation is part of ongoing efforts to complete all earmarked projects under its urban renewal programme in Katsina metropolitan city.
