In line with constitutional provisions and mandate of the legislature of budget appropriation and oversight functions and credible representation, the state House of Assembly standing committee on lands Housing and Town planing today as earlier announced over the media has conducted an oversight function in Gusau the state capital and Kaura Namoda local government Area.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director General on Press Affairs and Public Relations, ZMHA Gusau, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, a copy of which was made available to the Spectacles on Wednesday, 23rd March 2022.
The committee has decided to embark on the oversight function in order to ascertain the extent of encroachment and indiscriminate erection of shops in some government reserved areas and industrial layouts as well how such activities have negated the Gusau master plan and other local government designs in the state .
Places visited by the committee include unguwar Gwaza 33 kva high power Kaduna Electric Distribution company injection sub – station Gusau, Daza Housing Estate curve -out phase 1, 2, &3 old produce site at Sabon Garin Kaura Namoda as well as old SARDA Quarters all in Kaura Namoda local government Area.
At Unguwar Gwaza high power injection sub-station in Gusau, the committee was received by the some management staff of the company headed by Head of media and communication Alhaji Muhammad Abbah Muhammad, while welcoming the state legislators, also expressed his company’s happiness and gratitude over the foresight of the committee to embark on this laudable initiative of visiting some dangerous sites of high tension wires and called on the committee to as a matter of urgency put a stop to this indiscriminate trend of erection of shops and businesses premises within their sites .
He further informed the team that construction of plazas and business premises along high tension wires of the national grid signals a serious and potential danger of fire outbreak and other calamities of Radiation effect among other dangers associated with being closer to the thermal station.
Alhaji Abbah Muhammad said his company wrote several letters to the Zamfara state urban and regional planing board highlighting them of the imminent dangers of allocating shops and plazas within their sites but to no avail he then use this occasion and solicit for the support of the legislature on this direction which requires at least 6 miter interval away from the national grid.
Earlier Speaking the chairman of the committee Hon Shafi’u Dama Wanke told the stakeholders that his committee decided to embark on oversight function just to verify things for themselves as part of their constitutional mandate stressing that their findings will be made to the plenary with the view that the House will take a definite step on the matter in order to save the general public from imminent danger associated with their business at the national Grid.
He expressed his committee’s readiness to restore the distorted Gusau Master plan by placing priority to modernisation policy of the present Administration in the state.
Hon Wanke wondered why ZUREPB which is the main statutory body of Allocating plots for business premises in Gusau and its environs was conspicuously absent at the oversight visit despite invitation letter sent to it by his committee to appear at all the sites designed to be visited by the committee.
Also commenting a member of the committee Hon Nasiru Bello lawal Bungudu expressed his dismay with the non challenge attitude of some Urban and regional planing Board workers of not being professionals in indiscriminate Allocation of shops and Business premises along high tension wires not minding the dangers and consequences of their actions .
The Kaduna Electric Distribution company later conducted the legislatures round their premises for the committee to really understand the dangers of being close to high tension Electricity cables and wires .
The committee was also at old produce site in Sabon Garin Kaura Namoda and Old SARDA Quarters along Shinkafi Road all in Kaura Namoda Town where the committee inspects How The Directorate of Lands and Survey allocated plots of lands to individuals and corporate bodies in conformity the laid down Regulations .
The House standing committee on lands, Housing and Town planing later inspected Daaza Housing Estate curve -out phase 1,2,&3 in Gusau metropolis where the committee interact freely with some communities in the Housing Estate to know the extend of distortion of the curve -out and promise to restore the distorted area for the benefit of the community.
The oversight function of the committee will continue next week Wednesday 30th March 2022 with visit to Mareri Housing Estate Extension phase 1,2,&3 Hon Rufa’i Chiroma layout S.Kaita Global ventures, Hamstore ventures, and Alhaji Sule Mamuda Jega Extension areas all in Gusau metropolis among other places to be visited by the committee .
The chairman was accompanied in the oversight by the members of the committee which include Hon Yusuf Muhammad Anka, Hon Ibrahim Muhammad Tela Bukkuyum, Hon Sani Dahiru Adabka and Hon ibrahim T.Tukur Bakura .
Others include Hon Aliyu Namaigora Danjibga, Hon Aminu Yusuf Jangebe some management staff of the House as well as Secretary of the committee Ishaka Garba Gusau.
