Chief Operating Officer of Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station (SHPS), Mr. Ugochukwu Chioke, says on Wednesday that about 30 communities downstream of the dam were on high risk of flooding.
Chioke, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Shiroro, added that the company has already commenced awareness campaign on dangers of flooding to the affected communities.
“We have sent out flood warning letters to communities’ downstream and also to concerned agencies and follow up with radio and television jingles in English and natives languages.
“We did not stop at that, we also followed it up with 25 kilometre radius siren to inform those at river banks to give way and stay away from river banks to avoid being affected.
“We have enlightened the communities on our ways (along the path of water flowing from the dam) especially on our reservoir so that if at all there has to be spillage, we manage it in such a way that the effects on the phase downstream are highly minimized,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Garba Bala, District Head of Kuta Garbas (a host community of the dam), charged the company on its Corporate Social Responsibility to host community.
He urged the company to rehabilitate feeder roads, build hospitals, schools and empower the youths in the area to be self-reliance.
Bala urged the SHPS to provide transformers for host communities and connect some of the communities without electricity to the national grid.
“We have lost most fertile portion of our lands to the dam and most of our activities in the area is farming and fishing and we can no longer do any of these due to the activities from the dam.
“Our youths are jobless. We want the company to include our youths in terms of employment and give them scholarship to study engineering courses so that they can gain employment with the company,” he said.
The district head appealed to the host communities to continue to be peaceful and law abiding for the overall development of the people. (NAN)