BREAKING: Niger gov orders market demolition over road construction

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has ordered the Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development to demolish sections of Tunga Market and houses on the passageway of ongoing road construction.

Bago directed the ministry to demolish every house or shop that is 100 metres from the Niger State Transport Authority fence, stressing that there was no going back in the government’s determination to beautify the city.

The governor made this known on Saturday when he took an unscheduled tour of the ongoing road construction work. He moved in a convoy from the Tunga Market axis to the stretch of road under construction by the CCECC Construction company.

Some properties that may be affected by the construction work are houses and shops including the GT Bank, Tunga branch and popular Ostrich Bakery among many other business offices and shops.

Bago also directed the officials to work out compensation plans for all the affected house and shop owners, pointing out that he would not allow such houses and shops to affect the face-lift of the Minna capital city.

“The upstairs will go completely. All the houses that are going to be affected let me have their report immediately. We’ll bring them down, we will process their payment. All the shops that are there, we’ll give them time to pack their things.

“We want to take advantage of the dry season. Any house that is not in alignment with this NSTA fence will go down. 100 metres from the fence. CCECC should count the houses that are affected”, he said.

The governor was accompanied on the fact-finding tour by the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Bahago, and his entourage.

Officials from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructural Development, CCECC Construction workers and other government officials were also a part of the governor’s entourage.

There was also a large presence of security operatives including mobile policemen, officials of the Department of State Services DSS as well as vigilante personnel, all of whom ensured the momoth crowd which greeted the governor’s visit did not get any close.