Niger government has constituted a claims and verification committee for compensation of individuals affected by the construction of Minna-Bida road in the state.

A statement by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Abubakar Usman in Minna on Sunday, said the approval for the committee was given by Governor Umaru Bago.

He disclosed that the reconstruction of the Minna – Bida road was being co-financed by the Islamic Development Bank, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and the state government.

Mr Usman said members of the committee were drawn from the state government, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.

He said the committee had been given six weeks to complete its assignment with utmost diligence.

The SSG explained that the committee’s primary mandate was to identify each claimant and gather crucial information, including the land coordinates of the affected property and each claimant’s Bank Verification Number (BVN).

According to him, this additional data will enhance process integrity and transparency and prevent potential issues of claims and counterclaims by the claimants, which could lead to any setback for the start-up or progress of the project.

He noted that the state government had already set aside funds to compensate all affected persons.

The SSG said payments would be made simultaneously with the verification process, saying such would pave the way for the commencement of civil works and ground-breaking in November, in accordance with the current project work plan.

Mr Usman said the committee would facilitate direct real-time online payments to the claimants, eliminating the need for contact with government officials.

He added that all claimants must be present at their various property locations during the verification and appealed to the affected parties to cooperate with the committee for a smooth and efficient process.

The SSG charged members of the committee to uphold fairness and equity during the exercise, adding that the affected persons would be paid with immediate effect.

He, however, said that the timelines for verifying each location would be communicated through the village heads and the claimant’s attorneys.

(NAN)