The Kaduna State Government on Wednesday approved compensation for Rimi College allottees.

A statement by Samuel Aruwan, Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, said private land owners have also been served notices of revocation.

He added that those who have valid titles and development approvals are having their properties valued for the purposes of compensation.

Aruwan said: “The recovery exercise is now being implemented in Rimi College, Kaduna. Founded in 1941 as Saint John’s College, the school occupies 24.387 hectares of prime land.

“Three governments eventually excised a total of 3.19 hectares, which they gave to private individuals. The school also lost its students’ hostels which were converted to offices for some state and federal agencies.

“The Government is determined to restore Rimi College as a boarding school of quality. Appropriate relocation notices have been sent to the state and federal agencies occupying the school premises.”

Aruwan said that as part of its human capital development agenda, the Kaduna State Government is committed to expanding access to quality education.

“Central to its education reform programme is the restoration of the iconic schools whose facilities have been encroached by public institutions and private concerns. The recovery of school lands is imperative to better position the schools to properly discharge their primary mandate,” he emphasised.

At its meeting of November 16, 2015, the Executive Council of the Kaduna State Government approved the payment of N378,357,752.00 as compensation for the first 19 properties whose valuation processes have been concluded.

Aruwan assured that more compensation payments will be considered as other properties are valued, adding: “The title holders will be given replacement plots of land.

“In the interest of transparency, the Government considers it prudent to publish the names of the individuals that were allocated plots of land within Rimi College by previous administrations.

“The Government is aware that some of the 38 beneficiaries of the allocations took no steps to develop their plots because they had reservations about building on school property.

“Government hopes that our elite would subscribe to a consensus that preserves and respects the integrity of social assets like schools and hospitals.”

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.