The Concerned Shiroro Youths on Tuesday cried out over compensation to communities affected by the Zungeru hydro-electric power project in Niger state.
Mr Bello Ibrahim, Co-convener of the youth forum, who made this known to newsmen in Minna, alleged that some communities were not given compensation, some received inadequate payments.
“It is on record that, while some people’s properties including lands and houses were grossly undervalued which resulted in inadequate compensation, some people were not compensated at all.
“Assessment and valuation conducted on crops, structures and economic trees were not in tandem with the international best practices on exercise of this magnitude,” he said.
He said that there were series of complaints emanating from victims regarding the way and manner the enumeration in the build up to the construction of the dam was carried out.
“Based on our thorough findings, many people were not captured during enumeration and up till date, their issues have not been revisited. For instance, Layi is a village under Gijiwa/Kato ward in Shiroro local government area of Niger state.
“It is one of the many villages affected by Zungeru dam construction, though captured during enumeration but have not been compensated,” he said.
The Co- convener said that the people of the area have lost their belongings including farmlands and houses.
“In the meantime, the inhabitants are without shelters; only very few of them have managed to erect makeshift huts where they are currently taking refuge,” he said.
Ibrahim said that there are many other villages in the area facing similar challenges, while the experiences of some other villages differ.
He called on the National Emergency Management Agency and Niger State Emergency Management Agency to reach out to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the area.
Ibrahim also demanded that a committee be constituted with members from Civil Societies Organizations, journalists and other critical stakeholders to investigate the amount provided for the resettlement and to whom it was paid to.
The 700 megawatts (940,000 hp) hydro-electric dam with an expected 2021 date of completion, would be the second-largest hydro-electric power station in the country.
According to the blueprint of the project, it was estimated to generate 2.64 billion kWh of electricity per annum, which would meet about 10 per cent of Nigeria’s total domestic energy need.
The project also intends to provide flood control, irrigation, as well as water supply and fish breeding facilities for the host communities.
Dr Yakubu Bello, Secretary, Committee on Compensation, Relocation and Resettlement of people affected by the project, said the committee has not received any complaint regarding payment of compensation.
“This committee was set up by the Federal Ministry of Power and saddled with the responsibility of compensation, relocation and resettlement of people affected by the construction of the Zungeru hydro-electric dam.
“As I speak with you now, we have not received any complain regarding non-payment and inadequate payment of compensation by individuals, communities or any group affected by the construction of the dam,” he said.
Bello, who said that the committee has the list of the communities and individuals that had been compensated, urged the concerned youth to channel their grievances to the appropriate authority for action.
