Forward of the graduation of development of a brand new and fashionable transport Interchange (bus terminal) at Market Highway, Enugu (Enugu Central Station), popularly generally known as Holy Ghost, the leaser of properties on the website will, from Tuesday, begin receiving their compensations as agreed with the Nigerian Railway Company, the lessor.
The graduation of cost was made identified to the Enugu State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Obi Ozor, on Monday.
Recall that the Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, had, on nineteenth October, 2023, met with important property homeowners and stakeholders on the proposed Enugu Central Station. On the assembly, Mbah had defined that the proposed Enugu Central Station was a part of the bigger infrastructure plan, which additionally contains different main fashionable transport interchanges at Garki, Abakpa Nike, and Nsukka. The goal, he mentioned, was to alleviate the perennial site visitors congestion, improve security, protect highway property, optimise transport effectivity, and tackle varied wants of transport sector operators within the state. He, subsequently, sought their cooperation in direction of the realisation of the mission.
Citing comparable world-class developments in different components of the world like Dubai, and Singapore, amongst others, Governor Mbah mentioned there was no motive Holy Ghost bus terminal may very well be allowed to proceed in its current state of decay, perennial site visitors congestion, and high-level crimes when such abroad feats may very well be replicated by means of aware efforts and planning.
Sequel to the assembly, the Commissioner for Transportation had on twentieth October, 2023 letter previously notified every particular person occupant over a six-month discover of the federal government’s intention to make use of the placement, whereas the lessors, the Railway Property Administration Firm Ltd. equally served the leasers notices of restoration of property to the on twenty second April, 2024 in step with their time period of the lease.
In a duplicate of one of many letters by Railway Property Administration Firm Ltd. entitled “Discover of Restoration of Railway Land Alongside Market Highway, Enugu”, referenced as T/P. 1794/VOL.1, signed by the Director of Land and Property Providers, A.O Abdulsalam, for the corporate’s Managing Director, it mentioned the Federal Ministry of Transportation had agreed to launch the mentioned portion of Railway land to the Enugu State Authorities for a contemporary bus terminal.
The letter reads partly: “We discuss with your lease of Railway land alongside Market Highway, Enugu with Ref. No. T/P. 1794/VOL. 1 dated 02/08/2017.
“Please, be told that the Federal Ministry of Transportation, on behalf of the Federal Authorities has agreed to launch the portion of the NRC land, which was earlier allotted to you as referenced above, to the Enugu State Authorities to assemble a contemporary transportation hub beneath the Transport Infrastructure Undertaking.
“In step with our contractual settlement, the Enugu State Authorities has agreed to compensate you for the constructions (s) constructed on the land based mostly on an impartial valuation of your construction on the land.
“Due to this fact, you’re kindly requested to offer us together with your account particulars by means of our Enugu Zonal Supervisor on or earlier than twenty sixth April 2024 to allow the Enugu State Authorities to credit score your account with the required cost.
“Moreover, as a sort gesture, the Enugu State Authorities has agreed to do the next: To offer you an alternate non permanent location to ease what you are promoting pending when the mission is accomplished; to additionally provide the proper of first refusal to return to the newly accomplished construction.”
Throwing extra mild on the event, Enugu State Commissioner for Transportation, mentioned the non permanent locations had since been allotted to the affected companies, with some already creating the brand new place.
“However importantly, I can say with certainty that they are going to begin receiving alerts newest from Tuesday based mostly on the compensation advisory despatched to the state authorities by the Nigerian Railway Property Administration Firm Ltd. These are large sums of cash, however now we have to do it to ameliorate the non permanent inconveniences,” Ozor acknowledged.
In the meantime, on the assembly with Governor Mbah final 12 months, the property and enterprise homeowners, along with official tenants numbering over 29, recommended the mission.
The occasion was attended by the homeowners and representatives of Anaocha South Mass Transit, Chisco Transport Firm, Onitsha South Mass Transit, Farm Associates Restricted, Dozie Oil Restricted, A.C. Decanal Restricted, Harco Oil, Pilgrimage Sisters (Osisatech), Okeyson Transport Restricted, MDS Logistics Restricted, Seashore Crushers Affiliation, FCMB, and Ecobank, amongst others.
Additionally, throughout a go to to Mbah in November to higher know the mission, the Chairman/CEO of Chisco Transport, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, lauded Governor Mbah for taking duty to construct such an necessary transport infrastructure that was all the time missed.
Anyaegbu mentioned the ultramodern terminal would profit varied gamers inside the transport sector and past, pledging his whole assist in direction of its speedy realisation in a document time.
In one other stakeholder engagement session, the Govt Director of Onitsha South Mass Transit, Chief Arinze Ekwenibe, expressed gratitude to the federal government for its willingness to collaborate with the non-public sector in advancing transportation enterprises and creating jobs.
Chief Ekwenibe urged the federal government to uphold its dedication to granting the precise of first refusal, emphasising the mission’s significance in sustaining entrepreneurial development and improvement within the area.
Chairman of Anaocha Mass Transit, Chief George Ibekendu, whereas echoing commendations for the initiative, equally appreciated the state’s compensation scheme and the reassurance of the precise of first refusal upon completion of the interchange.
