The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced that the Federal Government has disbursed N22 billion as compensation to communities displaced by the 700-megawatt hydroelectric power project in Zungeru, Niger State. He made this statement during a recent meeting with the Compensation and Resettlement Committee for the Zungeru power plant in his Abuja office. Adelabu also confirmed that funds totaling approximately N2.2 billion are still earmarked for communities yet to receive compensation. Initially, 133 communities were identified for compensation or resettlement at the start of the Zungeru project, but this number has now increased to over 300. “I’m pleased that we have already paid N22 billion towards compensation, and according to our records, we still have N2.2 billion left to distribute,” he stated. Some recent statistics have been shared today, but as a ministry, we need to return and confirm these assertions. “We must all remember that the Federal Government is dealing with a shortage of funds.” “There are numerous issues vying for government focus, and we must prioritize them based on our revenue capacity,” he stated. Additionally, Adelabu expressed concern about the number of communities designated for compensation having increased threefold. He emphasized that the government needs to confirm the count of impacted communities before disbursing any new compensation. “It’s quite surprising to me that additional communities are now being included for compensation or resettlement,” he remarked. It is worth mentioning that in March of last year, a court in Minna, Niger State, ordered the federal government to pay N1.1 trillion in compensation to displaced communities affected by the Zungeru power plant project.
