Runde Landowners Demand Compensation
- Seek Gov. Kefas' Intervention
A long-standing dispute has been brewing at Runde Amusement Park, where landowners are demanding fair compensation from the government for their acquired land. At the heart of the dispute are Mallam Abdulmumuni Mohammadu and Babangida Saidu, who claim they were not adequately compensated when their land was taken over for the park's expansion.
The landowners are urging the government to revisit the agreement and provide fair compensation for their lost property. However, details of the acquisition and the terms of compensation are still unclear, adding to the confusion among visitors and staff at the amusement park. Some have expressed concern about the potential impact on the park's operations, as the standoff continues.
Mallam Abdulmumuni Mohammadu emphasized that the government's acquisition of their land without fair compensation has caused significant hardship for the landowners. "We were not given fair compensation for our land, and this has affected our livelihoods," he said. Babangida Saidu echoed similar sentiments, stating that the government must take responsibility for ensuring that landowners are fairly compensated for their acquired land.
The dispute highlights the complexities of public and land acquisition and compensation issues in Runde. The government's power to acquire land for public purposes is a complex issue, requiring careful balance between public interest and private property rights. As noted in the Land Use Act, the government has the power to acquire land for overriding public interest, but this must be done with prompt payment of compensation to affected landowners.
However, the Land Use Act has been criticized for limiting compensation to only unexhausted improvements on the land, excluding bare land. This has been deemed unconstitutional, as it violates the provisions of Sections 43 and 44 of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to property and compensation for acquired land.
The standoff at Runde Amusement Park underscores the need for effective dispute resolution mechanisms to address compensation disputes and ensure fair outcomes for all parties involved. The government must take a proactive approach to resolving the dispute, by engaging with the landowners and providing fair compensation for their acquired land.
The Runde Amusement Park land dispute requires careful consideration of the interests of all parties involved. The government must ensure that landowners are fairly compensated for their acquired land, while also balancing the needs of the park's management and the visiting public. By doing so, the government can help to resolve the dispute and promote a fair and just outcome for all parties involved.
The amusement park project was conceived during Gov. Danbaba Suntai's second tenure and sited at ATC Bye Pass in an area known as Runde, just after the new Central Bank of Nigeria that is under construction in Jalingo. A check by Taraba News revealed that billions of naira were spent, especially during the period acting governor Umar Garba UTC was in office, with nothing on the ground apart from containers at the site, with any of the original owners not paid compensation for their land collected by the government. In an interview with Taraba News, the landowner appealed to Governor Kefas to look into their plight and come to their rescue.
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