Shiroro hydroelectric power plant spends N1 billion on CRS projects in host communities
By Our Correspondent.
The North South Power Company Limited (NSPCL), has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of its host communities, announcing that it has spent over N1 billion on various projects in the regions.
The Public Relations Officer of NSPCL, Dr Samson Esumeh, disclosed this in an interview with news shortly after the NSPCL Bi-annual Company/ Dam Host Community Stakeholders’ Committee Engagement Meeting in Minna on Tuesday.
He said the company’s investment in host community projects underscores its dedication to fostering sustainable prosperity and peaceful coexistence between the company and its host communities.
Esumeh said this marked a significant milestone in its journey of 10 years of unwavering power generation and outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) achievements.
He said the company had carried out various initiatives, including medical outreach programs, construction of boreholes, and provision of toilet facilities.
“We have constructed 47 boreholes, providing clean water access to 40 communities of over 15,000 households,” he said.
He said the company’s CSR initiatives have positively impacted over 1,000,000 people, promoting health, education, sustainable agriculture, economic empowerment, and infrastructural development.
He listed some of the achievements to include; free deworming of 10,000 school children, 600 minor surgeries and 240 major surgeries and provision of free antenatal services to 55,560 women.
Others were construction of 11 sanitation facilities and an ultra-modern Public Health Center, rehabilitating and furnishing two community schools and donating educational materials to 30 primary schools.
He added that the organisation had sponsored scholarships for 14 deserving students, provided agricultural inputs to 40 communities, benefiting over 100,000 households, and trained 70 farmers on sustainable agricultural practices.
He said the company rehabilitated 30 kilometers of roads, installed solar-powered streetlights, and renovated a community center and constructed a 50-unit cluster house.
He added that the company through its Zumba Child Advancement Programme (Z-CHAP) inaugurated on Feb. 8, 2024 had facilitated the enrollment of 100 out-of-school children back into formal education system amongst others strides.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the DHSC Professor Danladi Hakimi, , said the committee was established at the instance of NSPCL management to harmonise pressure groups agitating for various issues.
He appreciated NSPCL’s intervention in host communities, particularly in agriculture and support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and urged the company to involve host communities in planning and conducting needs assessments before executing projects.
According to him, the communities hosting the dam lack basic amenities like schools and healthcare facilities and urged the management to reassess its CSR projects and prioritise these needs.
Also speaking, Chairman of Shiroro Local Government, Akilu Ishaku, also lauded NSPCL’s efforts and called for more impactful interventions with more value-added projects that can transform host communities.
Alhaji Hassan Abdullahi, Consultant to NSPCL on CSR, acknowledged the committee’s suggestions and pledged to work with host communities to enhance CSR initiatives moving forward.
