Niger youths threaten to stop work on Zungerun Hydro-electricity dam

Youths under the auspices of Coalition of Shiroro Youth Associations in Niger state has given the Federal Government two weeks ultimatum within which to meet their demands of adequate compensation to those communities that were displaced as a result of the construction of the dam.

The youth association is also demanding that the name “Zungeru dam” be replaced with “second Shiroro or Manta dam” since ninety five percent of land occupying by the dam is located at Shiroro local government area and not Zungeru in Wushishi local government area which contributed only five percent of its land to the construction of the dam.

Spokesperson of the youth coalition, Comrade Salis Sabo stated this while addressing newsmen in Kuta headquarters of Shiroro local government area at the weekend, warning that the Federal Government should forget about the December 2021 commissioning date as promised by the Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola if their demands are not met.

Comrade Salis Sabo who described as pathetic, the situation of the people of those communities displaced as a result of the activities of the dam, pointed out that the youths will explore all avenue to press home their demands, including “instituting legal action and obtaining a court order to restrain the Federal Government from commissioning and further work on the multi billion naira Zungeru Hydroelectric power dam.

Comrade Salis Sabo further explained that they will in addition to this occupy the dam premises in a peaceful protest against the commissioning of 700 megawatt Zungeru Hydroelectric dam after exhausting all constitutional means of seeking redress.

According to him, they will also petitioned the World Bank for the inability of Federal Government to fulfill its terms of agreement and condition for obtained loan from an International Financial Institution to finance Zungeru Hydroelectric dam project.

Also speaking Chairman of the Youth Shiroro Association Comrade Usman Ibrahim Kuta specifically wants those whose properties were not been captured in the initial exercise be captured and assessed with special consideration to those who lost their land and were rendered homeless by activities of Shiroro dam project.

A victim and Village Head of Bawyi Malam Isa Usman Kuta, also speaking, lamented that over 50 communities were affected by Zungeru dam project and properties worth hundreds of millions of naira were destroyed while many people have died as a result of trauma they went through due to nonpayment of their compensation and therefore called on the Federal Government to come to their aid.

Chairman Shiroro Local Government Council Mallam Suleiman Dauda Chukuba in his remarks assured the Youths of governments support at all times in other press home their demands.

He then called on the federal government for the payment of adequate compensation and resettlement of affected communities to ameliorate their hardship.

(Daily Sun)