Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be getting N825.819 billion as compensation for the construction of the 4.2km second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
This announcement was made by the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, August 29, after a negotiation meeting with the minister of aviation, Festus Keyamo, officials of both ministries and representatives of their agencies, as well as stakeholders from Jiwa, the affected community in Abuja.
According to Wike, the fund incentivises the residents to vacate the community and seek cooperation towards completing the 4.2 km second Abuja runway project, initially awarded in 2022.
Wike also declared that the FCT will construct a 5km bridge in the Tunga Madaki community and provide a modern healthcare facility expected to serve as a temporary resettlement site for the indigenes.
He charged the contractors to resume work, promising that the approved fund would be released on Wednesday, August 30.
The former Rivers governor had earlier said that the FCT administration was still undecided on what to do with the yet-to-be-released N5 billion palliative.
He said the administration may consider the purchase of vehicles to ease transportation in the territory and provide food items for residents when the federal government releases the fund.
Wike said his administration has begun efforts to re-introduce urban mass transportation schemes to ease the suffering of the people due to the high cost of transportation.