Zungeru Dam: Community goes to Court seeks suspension of work
Despite the assurance by the Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sanni Bello, that about 98 communities in Shiroro local government area of the state will be adequately compensated by the federal government, they have dragged the government to court seeking to stoppage of the ongoing construction of Zungeru Hydrp- Power Dam.
The case was filed at Federal High Court in Minna where the communities is seeking for the suspension of work until the federal government concluded it compensation.
The community lawyer and a human rights activist, Chief Joshua Akinaola Ajayi, during an interview told newsmen in Minna that the community people are demanding for how much was earmarked for its compensation by the last administration of president Goodluck Jonathan.
Barrister Ajayi noted that they only heard that billions of naira but the real affected persons were left without resettlement and compensation hence were given between N2,000 and N20,000 only.
He accused the Alagbe Surveyors and valuers, Eze Consultant, Emirate council of Minna and Niger State government as well as Sky bank and UBA for jettisoned the agreement reached with the federal government by cornering the compensation.
The plaintiff lawyer added that government do not acquired land forcefully saying that the accused shared with money meant for the communities for selves between N2million to N11 million hence keeping the people in darkness.
He called for enumeration and data based information to authenticate the beneficiaries therefore rejected the state government committee set up to verify the matter earlier which he described as a waste.
The Niger State chapter of Civil Right Congress, Alhaji Awaisu Giwa said that the community people are not satisfied with state government committee set up to investigate the matter hence demanded for adequate compensation.
The presiding judge, Justice Elizabeth Bogoro after listening to the plaintiffs’ lawyer and the defendants counsel who refused to talk to the press told me court that they did not get the letters of notice however, adjourned to January 12th 2017 for next hearing.
Apparently, the commissioner of information, culture and tourism, Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, in an interview stated that they inherited the matter from the last administration that led to setting up a committee to investigate and recommend to government.
He assured that the committee would give Justice to all because they lost their inheritance and the suspension of work will not speak well of the state as it will not add value economically, therefore called for adequate compensation for the original indigenes.
