The Federal Government has requested for additional land to carry out the phase II of its housing project in Benue State.
Minister of State for Works, Transport and Energy, Surveyor Suleiman Hassan Zarma, made the request to Governor Samuel Ortom in Makurdi during his visit to the state to inspect ongoing projects under the purview of his ministry.
Zarma who also sought for the resolution of compensation issues relating to the phase I housing project, expressed hope that when completed, the projects would boost economic activities in the state just as he described Benue as strategic as it links the northern part of Nigeria to the south.
The minister however called on the state government to wade into the illegal construction of houses in Otukpo to enable expansion and construction of township roads in the area.
Responding, Governor Ortom stressed the need for the federal government to give special attention to five federal roads in the state as he decried the deplorable condition of most of the federal roads within his territory.
Ortom appealed for the rehabilitation of such roads as well as construction of bridges where necessary for ease of transportation, adding that the roads included, the Abinsi -Agasha -Anyiin -Wukari, Makurdi – Gboko-Katsina-Ala, Makurdi-Otukpo – 9thMile as well as Makurdi – Adoka- Naka -Ankpa roads.
The governor also told the minister that all issues regarding compensation on the land for the ongoing construction of a federal housing estate in Makurdi would speedily be looked into as he noted that the additional land requested for would be provided for the phase two of the project and mass housing estate for low income earners.
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