Date: 2011-10-19

The Director General, Kwara State Bureau of Lands, Mr. Tope Daramola, yesterday disclosed that the state government will spend N25 billion on provision of infrastructural facilities at the 710 hectares new Government Reserved Area (GRA) at Budo Oso village in Ilorin.

The DG who stated this while speaking at the  disbursement of N100 million as compensation to original land owners of the GRA in Ilorin said the state government had spent about N2 billion so far on the provision of infrastructures that would include electricity, roads, security, schools, markets etc at the new GRA.

Daramola said disbursement of compensation to land owners followed the approval granted by the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and described the event as a great moment for both the government and people of the state, while he also praised the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, for his foresight, which he said had culminated in the creation of new GRAs in Ilorin.

"The immediate past administration in the state under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki conceptualized the idea of new GRAs for Ilorin because of its belief that Ilorin as an expanding city needs modern and urban environment," he said.

Daramola, who alongside the state commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Bode Olayemi, distributed the cheques to some of the beneficiaries, said government had fully satisfied the provision of Land Use Act of 1978, in acquiring the lands for the new GRAs with the compensation to landowners.

He said that Budo Oso GRA was aimed at enhancing the beauty of the state capital and as well made available quality land at affordable cost to the people of the state.

The DG assured people of the state that the administration of Governor Ahmed was committed to making plots of land available to everyone irrespective of class, adding that, "Kwara state government is operating an open and transparent administration. Therefore, it is poised to give equity to all Kwarans in the area of land acquisition in the scheme".

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Mohammed Idilobe thanked the government for fulfilling its promise of compensation to land owners at Budo   Oso area, assuring government of their cooperation at all times.