Uba Sani abandons erosion control project, pays $2 billion settlement – Blueprint Newspapers Limited

Governor Uba Sani has kicked off a comprehensive flood and gully erosion control project in Rigasa, where checks worth around $2 billion have been distributed to 1,000 people whose homes will be affected.

The project, which extends from Rigasa to Tudun Wada districts in Igabi and Kaduna South local governments respectively, is aimed at controlling perennial flooding in the area, which has resulted in loss of lives and property, for the past 40 years.

Speaking at the event, Governor Uba Sani disclosed that the project will cost over 34 billion naira, adding that the scope is the first of its kind in the whole of Northern Nigeria.

”This government has promised that we will not demolish anyone’s property until we have paid adequate compensation. That’s why today we paid $2 billion in compensation to approximately 1,000 people whose homes will be affected by the project.

“As a government, we have promised that the common man will not be betrayed in any way,” promised Governor Uba Sani.

The Governor revealed that he has so far paid over $5 billion in compensation because his government does not subscribe to the idea of ​​demolishing properties to clear the way for projects, with little to no compensation.

”Before we build any road or undertake any project, we pay compensation even before starting the project. We don’t want to destroy people’s livelihoods in an attempt to bring development to them,” he said.

According to him, development does not simply mean building structures but also “protecting communities, restoring dignity and securing the future of our people”.

”For many years, the people of Rigasa and Tudun Wada have endured the painful consequences of floods and gully erosion. Families saw their homes disappear under the advancing waters and the collapse of the landscapes.

”Critical infrastructure has been damaged, agricultural land destroyed. Livelihoods have been disrupted and dreams delayed. This intervention is therefore not only timely; it is transformative.

”Once completed, these flood and gully erosion control structures will substantially reduce the risk associated with flooding and land degradation. They will protect homes and public infrastructure, preserve economic resources, restore environmental stability, and provide greater security to communities that have long lived in the shadow of recurring disasters,” he added.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, commended the Governor for making strategic investments in vulnerable communities across Kaduna State, to make them greener, safer and more resilient.

He noted that the Rigasa/Tudun Wada development spans a total of 17.8km, adding that once completed, “it will improve environmental conditions and enhance the socio-economic well-being of over 500 residents within the corridor, putting the state on the pedestal as one of Nigeria’s leading sub-national governments in the field of environmental sustainability.”