By Correspondent in Minna.
The Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, has announced the commencement of a 20-year short-term development plan for New Bida, aimed at transforming the town in line with his administration’s vision for urban renewal and modernization.
The governor made the announcement in Bida while speaking at a town hall and stakeholders’ engagement in Bida, on the “New Bida 20-Year Development Plan,” at the weekend.
Our correspondent reports that the state’s Ministry of Lands and Survey in collaboration with the New Niger Development Projects (NNDP) organized the event.
Governor Bago said the initiative would later extend to other major commercial centers in the state, including Minna, Suleja, and Kontagora.
He noted that the development blueprint is expected to curb rural-urban migration and accelerate socio-economic growth in New Bida by providing essential social amenities.
Highlighting key features of the plan, the governor disclosed that a new 44-kilometre dual carriage ring road would divert traffic from the town’s core, paving the way for the creation of a modern city with over 300,000 plots of land, significantly increasing land value and commercial viability.
He warned local communities to guard against land speculators and grabbers, assuring that a 100-megawatt solar farm would be established to support small-scale businesses and provide sustainable energy for residents, especially the youth.
Governor Bago emphasized that the New Bida initiative is part of a broader urban strategy featuring a 20-year short-term and a 50-year long-term development framework.
To boost the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR), he projected that Niger State could harness over N3 billion monthly from more than 3 million trailers that traverse its road network.
Also speaking at the event, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers,HRH Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, reassured residents that their lands would not be forcefully taken.
He called on communities to support the government’s efforts to transform Bida.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr. Maurice Magaji, described the event as a defining moment, reflecting a shared commitment to reposition Bida into a modern, economically vibrant city.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
