How Azura Power Promotes Standard of Living in Host Communities
For Azura Power West Africa Limited, its mantra has always been to improve the standard of living of its host communities. In line with this, the company recently donated free education materials and library to Edo Primary Schools, Precious Ugwuzor reports
One of the policy trust of Azura Power West Africa Limited is to ensure that host communities in Nigeria where its activities and operations are situated get support in education, water sanitation and health infrastructure to uplift the standard of living in the areas.
Under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility CSR, programme Azura has also extended this kind gesture to communities in Northern Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
At the official presentation of its 2023 Quarter Two CSR programme benefiting communities and primary schools in Benin City, the Edo State Capital, received donations of education, teaching, instructional and learning materials which includes, books, school bags, uniforms, pen, pencils, school sandals, classroom blocks, boreholes and library.
The programme was flagged off at Oba Erediauwa Primary School, Iduonmwina, in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.
The APWL also constructed a block of six classrooms, a library equipped with books, water borehole with tank stands as well as perimeter fencing of the school.
Speaking at the handover ceremony on Monday in Benin City, the Head of Plant Operations, Azura Power West Africa Limited, Mr. Oscar Imoekor, explained that the gesture was part of the company’s way of giving back to its host community.
Imoekor said Azura Power has three host communities, which Iduonmwina happened to be one, hence the need to ensure an enduring cordial relationship through the donation of “these education materials to build academic capacity of the pupils”.
Besides, Imoekor noted that before this time, the company has constructed perimeter fencing of the school to improve security, as well as construction of a block of six classrooms, and a borehole.
Also speaking, the company’s Social Impact Manager, Mr. David Ekugum, noted that the essence of the exercise is to join efforts with the “Edo Best” programme of the state government to improve the standard of learning in schools.
According to him, “as a responsible corporate body, Azura Power West Africa Limited, has a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme called ‘Power to Change’ where the company Implement life changing programmes across the country but specifically to the host communities.
“We are essentially in one of our primary areas, which is sustainable education through presentation of school materials to Oba Erediauwa Primary School in Iduonmwina. We are handing over to each pupil in this school education material like a pair of shoes, bag, notebooks, Pen, pencils and uniform.
Responding to the gesture, the Head Teacher, Oba Erediauwa Primary School, Iduonmwina, Mrs. Egbon Gladys, thanked Azura Power for deeming it fit to remember the school in its corporate social responsibility programme.
While promising that the school would make adequate use of the donated education materials, Egbo noted that the gesture would not only improve the academic performance of the pupils, but would also motivate the teachers to deliver their lessons successfully.
The quarter 2 CSR programme as flagged off will be replicated in two other primary schools in the area to ensure that other communities benefit from the capacity building programme in education and other social amenities.
In line with the state and federal government determination to enhance capacity and improve the standard of education in rural communities, Azura Power West Africa Limited has been at the forefront to promote measures of ensuring that the Federal Government education for all in Nigeria becomes a success.
At series of the company’s CSR, the Managing Director of the Company, Edu Okeke, restated that giving back to society is a form of defence for government and power sector players prone to vandalism, which is a major challenge in grid instability.
He declared that the support in the education and other relevant sectors of our national life by the company is fundamental to its corporate existence in any West African country where its presence is.
Azura Power West Africa Limited located in Benin, contributes about 480 megawatts of electricity to the National grid daily, it has provided an uninterrupted power generation to drive the process of growth in the sector since 2017, when it first connected to the National Grid.
The power firm is an investment holding company for independent power projects (IPPs) in Africa, making it one of the fastest growing power generating organization in modern history.
The Azura-Edo project is the first greenfield power plant in Nigeria since the country’s reform of the power sector in 2013 and has provided a much-needed power supply to local communities and businesses.
Its first turbine was connected to the grid in late 2017, and since then, it has been operating at optimal capacity, to enhance the supply of electricity in-spite of the perennial challenges in gas supply and other factors of production.
The power plant since it became functional has beefed up business and productivity in the area, attracting the location of industries like agroprocessing, steel, and other small scale production activities.
Also creating direct and indirect jobs, the power plant location in the area has sends a strong signal to other potential investors in the country’s power sector. It is on records that the outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has at many fora mentioned Azura power as one of its major power sector breakthrough because it came onstream in the wake of the administration.
Being the newest and most recent power plant in Nigeria, it has very high frequency operational capacity that the Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN rely so much to take power and transmit for distribution.
The power plant operates in line with international environmental and social standards. It is also providing employment opportunities and vocational training to local communities.
It has a line up of activities yearly under the CSR, which provides support to especially students and pupil, for instance the art exhibition that took place in Benin two months back had students from various Universities participating, the annual going to orphanage homes and the less privilege in the society.