FG to compensate communities displaced by Zungeru power project

Federal Government, yesterday, pledged to pay full compensation to communities displaced by the construction of the 700 megawatts Zungeru Hydro Power Plant in Niger State.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu.

The statement indicated that the minister made the commitment to pay the compensation to the displaced communities when he met with the Compensation and Resettlement Committee of the Zungeru Power Plant, led by the Deputy Governor of the state, Yakubu Garba in Abuja.

Adelabu, the statement added, stressed the need for proper identification of the affected communities as more than 300 of them had presented claims for compensation and resettlement after an initial agreement.

He thanked the host communities and the Niger State Government for allocating land for the power project.

He, however, decried a situation where host communities to the power project would all come to claim compensation over the location.

The minister, the statement further indicated, said only 133 communities were identified by the Ministry of Power when the Zungeru Power Project was to be sited.

According to him, he was surprised that during the engagement, more than 200 communities were added to those originally identified for compensation and resettlement.