Connect us to Zungeru hydropower plant, community head urges

The chief of Zungeru, Alhaji Tanko Madaki, has appealed to the Sinohydro Power Company, a Chinese firm, to supply electricity to the community from the 700MW hydroelectric power project after completion.

Zungeru, a town in Niger State, was the capital of the British protectorate of Northern Nigeria from 1902 until 1916. It hosts the hydropower project, which is expected to be completed in 2020.

Speaking when senior officials of the company paid him a courtesy call in Zungeru, the village chief lamented that though the ancient town is connected to the national grid but electricity supply erratic.

“Electricity supply in Zungeru is poor and we are hoping that when the Chinese complete the project, they will supply us electricity free of charge.

“They should kindly electrify the entire community and change all the poles here because they have been there for about 14 years,” Madaki said.

He said lack of constant electricity coupled with deplorable state of the road that links to Zungeru is adversely affecting commercial activities as youths are moving out of the town in drove.

He however thanked the Chinese coy for its several infrastructural projects in the community, including water, medical outreach and employment and transfer of advanced technical know-how to community youths.