In order to ensure the actualisation of the country’s fourth hydro-electricity generating station, Niger State government is committed to ensuring compensation and re-settlement of communities hosting the dam.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Jibrin Baba Ndace, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello gave this assurance on Wednesday when he inaugurated a 24-man committee on the payment of compensation, relocation and re-settlement of communities affected by the construction of Zungeru hydro-electricity dam.
He said as much as the project by Federal Government was in line the change agenda, his administration would ensure that the communities affected by the citing of the dam ar adequately compensated.
Gov. Sani Bello stated that the government was also liaising with the federal government, not only to boost the nation’s power and enhance the living standard of people, but to look into the challenges’ faced by the communities hosting the dam.
“There has been alot of disquiet among these communities in respect to the hydro-electricity dams located in their area; we want to adequately compensate and relocate or re-settle them hence the need for the establishment of this committee”, he said.
Gov. Sani Bello expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for reposing confidence in his ability to mediate amongst the hydro-power communities as well as the indispensable contribution of the minister of power, Babatunde Fashola for fulfilling his pledge to bring out funds to compensate the communities.
The Governor charged the the committee members to ensure proper accountability and establish modalities for compensation, settlement and relocation of all affected members of the communities.
Other terms of reference of the committee include but not limited to; ensuring house -house verification of beneficiaries, ensuring each member of the community is paid and all that all of them are relocated at once.
While soliciting total commitment and fair play from the committee, Governor Sani Bello urged it to remain focused and not to capitalize on the exercise to cause disaffection or ill-will.
He also used the opportunity to appreciate the communities for sacrificing their ancestral or traditional home for the hydro-power project in the collective interest of the state and nation.
The committee has the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Abdulmalik Cheche as its chairman while, Malam Yakubu Bello is to serve as secretary.
