Niger earmarks N3.1b for three-arms zone

The Niger State Government on Monday disclosed that it will spend over N3.1 billion to begin the physical development of the three-arms zone, adding that the fund will be gotten from proceeds realised from the sale of government buildings in Minna.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Dr. Peter Salle Sarki, who disclosed this in Minna while addressing a news conference, said that several hectares of land have been acquired by the government on the outskirts of Minna, with the award of contract for the construction of 90 units of houses.
According to Sarki: “The houses, which will be in three categories, are meant for the very high members of the society.
“Thirty units of the houses will be five bedroom detached bungalow, four type ‘A’ detached bungalow and the rest four type ‘B’ buildings.
“Over N3.1 billion will be spent on the project and work on the projects will commence this week.
“The first phase of the project will be completed within the next six months.
“Funding of the project will be from the money realised from the sales of some government buildings in Minna, while the balance had been provided for in the 2014 budget of the Ministry.
“Following the almost 100 per cent completion of the housing estate projects at Bida and Kontagora and the complaints by the developers that vandals are vandalising parts of the houses the government has decided to construct perimeter for the two projects to safeguard them against vandals.
“About N148.9 million will be spent on the project which will also include the provision of police posts.”
The Niger State Commissioner for Transportation, Alhaji Garba Mohammed, at the news conference also disclosed that a special vanguard will be trained to see to the enforcement of the government’s policy on the ban on use of motorcycles for commercial purposes in Minna.
Garba said the ban will take effect from January 2, 2014.
He disclosed that special permits will be issued at modest cost to those who will use motorcycles as a means of private transportation.
He said government has taken delivery of additional 500 tricycles that will be deployed to the roads in the state capital to ensure the ban did not have negative effect on ordinary people in the state capital.
He added that all security organisations in the state have been communicated about the government policy and their cooperation sought for the success of the policy.