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By Agatha Chitumu, Abuja

 

DAILY COURIER – The Power Minister, Engr. Abubakar D Aliyu has assured the funding partners of North Core/Dorsale Nord Regional Interconnector Project of the country’s commitment to the actualization of the project.

 

The funding partners in the project consist of Nigeria-Niger-Benin-Togo and Burkina Faso.

 

In a press release dated October 12, 2022, by the assistant director, information and press Odutayo Oluseyi quoted the Minister as giving the assurance during a courtesy call to his office by the Country Director, Nigeria Western and Central Africa Region, Shubham Chaudhuri and his team.

 

The team are in the country for a joint midterm review mission of the project.

 

Responding to the issues of Social Safeguard payments (compensation of communities who the project will affect), the Minister told the guests that adequate budgetary provision to cater for them have been captured in the 2022 budget.

 

He then assured that as soon as all required processes are put in place the compensation would commence.

 

Contractors he added can move to site where there are no encumbrances.

 

“There is need for all funding partners to be aligned to avoid delay in the execution of the project.

 

“Adequate security measures are being put in place by all West Africa Power Pool Countries (WAPP) and the Minister of Defence, Nigeria and all other defence ministers were present at the February, 2022 ground-breaking ceremony at Niamey, Niger to put in place measures as regards to security.

In his own remark, the Country Director, Nigeria western and Central Africa Region, Shubham Chaudhuri said as part of the objective of the joint mid-term review mission on the North Core Regional Interconnection Project by the World Bank, Africa Development Bank (AFDB) and the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) is to discuss the results achieved and constraint to the implementation of the remaining project activities and the Northern Corridor project; Social Safeguard payments steps in terms of resettlement action plan (RAP) implementation in Nigeria; Actions and implementation plan in order to ensure Nigeria electricity is expected by November, 2024.

 

Shubham Chaudhuri represented by senior energy specialist and project manager, Emmanuel Py further requested for adequate security along the corridors stating its importance to early completion of the project.