FG to demolish 355 buildings in Anambra for Alaoji-Onitsha powerline

…proposes N12bn compensation for Southeast, N6.5bn for Anambra project

The Federal Government has announced that about 355 buildings are set to be demolished in various parts of Anambra State to make way for the Alaoji-Onitsha Powerline, which has been estimated to gulp about N6.5 billion.

Compensation package for the South-East, which is estimated at N12 billion, will be paid to the affected individuals, families and business establishments whose houses will be demolished in the course of executing the project, according to the Government.

BusinessDay reports  that Anambra State stakeholders, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the BGM, the Consulting firm for the Alaoji -Onitsha Powerline, have met in the State on the compensation issue.

The power line is a TCN project and will cut across 15 communities in about three Local Government Areas of Anambra State.

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During the meeting in Awka on Friday, Anambra State Government’s representatives, traditional rulers and Non-Governmental Organisations were in attendance.

Addressing the stakeholders, the Project Manager and Assistant General Manager, TCN, Omobola Oluwaseun Sogo, said the compensation in the North was about N1.8 billion, while in the South-East, FG would pay over N12 billion.

Sogo, an engineer, revealed that compensation alone in Anambra State would take half of the amount mapped out for the South-East which also involves Abia and Imo States.

She told the stakeholders that the project is a lifetime one for the people, adding, “if you allow this opportunity to slip off and taken to another zone because of disagreement, I bet you it will be difficult to recover it again in this country.”

“The Federal Government has already made available part of the funds for compensation, and once the communities involved come to terms with our discussions, we’re good to go”, Sogo added.

For Ifeanyi Okonkwo, the Assistant General Manager in charge of Anambra State’s TCN, “the project started a long time ago and we’re here to talk about the way forward for the project to work.”

“It’s going to impact positively on our people, if actualized because anything we’re doing without power may not succeed.

“Alaoji is in Aba, if we were transmitting 100 mega watts before, with the implementation of this project, it will get to 1000 Mega Watts and the businesses will thrive well and complaints of shortage of power will become a thing of the past in this zone.

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“Whatever thing we discuss today should be transmitted to our people in our communities to change our lives and conditions,” Okonkwo said.

Speaking after the engagement, Basil Uzodinma, Managing Director, BGM Limited, said the project would cut across 15 communities in Anambra State, adding that the compensation to those whose properties would be affected would amount to about N6.5bn in Anambra alone, while some 355 buildings would be demolished to pave way for the project.

“Our people have lost some of the cottage companies which relocated to Ghana and other countries that have steady power supply.

“This is what this project is all about,to correct such anomalies. TCN had sent consultants because some people encroached in our land. We’re not going to allow encroachment,” Uzodinma stated.

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