Gombe Set to Construct Housing Units Worth About N5bn

From: Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

The Gombe State Executive Council, presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved the sum of N5 billion loan for the construction of 1,000 housing units
in the State.

Commissioner for information and Culture, Mr Julius Ishaya Lepez made the disclosure at a press briefing shortly after the 16th session of the state executive council meeting held at the council chamber of the Government House yesterday.

The loan, he said, is to be secured from the Family Housing Fund, famous for giving credit facility to States across the country to address their housing deficit.

He said council equally deliberated on land administration and masterplan of Gombe metropolis where it noted that the planned integration of customary land title owners into government layouts was to enable the administration of governor Yahaya provide social amenities to the people without recourse to the needless payment of compensation each time government wants to construct road networks or carry out other developmental projects.

Lepes told journalists that the council also received assessment report on the Billiri crisis detailing the number of property destroyed and value attached.
He added that findings by the assessment committee on the crisis indicated that 41 houses were affected which is valued N94.60million

The Information and Culture Commissioner said 401 business premises were affected out of which 335 shops are owned by individuals while 66 belong to the Billiri Local Government Area, all valued at N385.1million

He added that 33 worship centres were either burnt down or vandalised, valued at N33.129 million.
Other property affected, as enumerated by Lapes, include; motor vehicles, motorcycles orchards and animals which were either destroyed, missing or stolen valued at N31.48million
He said the overall total of property destroyed as valued by the assessment committee stood at N542.35 million

He said in lieu of the assessment, Council has approved the payment of compensation to individuals who lost loved ones and properties, saying a committee has been set up to draw out modalities for the assistance.