By Rita Iliya
The management of Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station, which is North South Power (NSP) core asset, has pledged to foster closer ties with host communities by resolving their grievances.
Mr Ugochukwu Chioke, Chief Operating Officer of NSP, said this during the Bi-Annual Dam Host Community Stakeholders Committee meeting in Minna on Tuesday.
Chioke, represented by Mrs Esther Bitiyong, Consultant on Health, Environment and Social Services to NSP, emphasised the need for regular dialogue, transparency and collaboration in implementing community projects.
Chioke said that the company would ensure that their concerns were promptly addressed by ensuring that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives reflected the immediate needs of the people.
He urged the committee members to speak for their communities and transmit all outcomes of the meeting back home.
He tasked representatives to pay closer attention as their voices were crucial in improving relations between the company and host communities.
Prof. Danladi Hakimi, Chairman, Dam Host Stakeholders Committee, said the committee was established in 2018 by the Emir of Minna, Dr Umar Bahago at the request of NSP following widespread agitations by the host communities.
Hakimi reiterated that the committee was mandated to meet twice yearly to address community grievances, enhance dialogue and foster mutual understanding between the dam management and host communities.
“The success of our collaborative goals depends on how both parties carry each other along and abide by the rules we have set for engagement,” he said.
While commending the company for its CSR interventions, the chairman urged the company to scale up people-oriented projects and prioritise employment opportunities for qualified youths from the host communities.
Hakimi urged the company to always consult communities first before executing projects, adding that interventions must reflect genuine community needs to reduce agitation and strengthen ownership of development initiatives.
Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan, Consultant to North South Power Foundation (NSPF) on CSR, assured the host communities of the company’s continued commitment to addressing their concerns.
Hassan said NSP would never take the host communities for granted and appealed to community members to maintain open dialogue with the company on all issues affecting them.
In a goodwill message, Mr Samuel Odekina, Acting Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), commended NSP for convening the meeting.
Odekina described the meeting as a constructive platform for strengthening collaboration and ensuring peaceful engagement between the company and its host communities.
In a presentation, Dr Sam Esumeh, Consultant, Public Relations to NSPF, said the company’s various projects within the last six months aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the projects cut across healthcare, water and sanitation, sustainable agriculture, humanitarian relief, education support, economic empowerment and electrification in host communities. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joe Idika
