By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Federal Government has released its counterpart funds for Component Project III of the expansion of the 138km Alaoji–Aba–Onitsha 33 KVA transmission line, which is being executed in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) just as 90 days ultimatum was issued to those compensated to vacate their property.
With the release of the funds, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commenced the payment of compensation to 702 individuals in Aba, Abia State, whose land and property the project will pass through.
Speaking in Aba during the handing over of cheques to the affected persons, Edeh A. Obiora, Acting Project Manager for the AfDB Project and Implementation Unit, lauded President Tinubu for releasing the counterpart funds, which previous governments failed to do.
Obiora said the inability of previous governments to release funds for the project stalled the process from 2019 until the inception of Tinubu’s administration.
He said those being compensated were property owners on the Alaoji–Osisioma axis of the 138km Aba-Onitsha 33KVA transmission corridor.
“Since the project is funded under the African Development Bank-Nigerian Transmission Expansion Project, Phase I, the AFDB, being an international donor funding institute, gave the mandate that wherever there is a project being financed by them, any person who is affected by the project in any way or another should be compensated.
“Under the AFDB, they have already provided funds through the counterpart funding for the settlement of these individuals, wherever they may be affected.
“There is an estimated right-of-way under the TCN. That right of way is within the space of 25 metres on both sides,” he said.
He informed that TCN was paying compensation based on eligibility, adding that people who came with claims after the enumeration had been completed were not eligible for compensation.
Assistant General Manager in charge of Health, Safety, AfDB Project and Implementation Unit, Arome Adole, while reacting to allegations of undervaluation of properties, said, “We don’t know how they arrived at their own valuation,” adding that the properties were valued using best practices.
“We have established what we call a grievance address committee that will collect these kinds of complaints. Some have written formally to us.
“We collate the complaints and review them. If the undervaluing that is being claimed is genuine, we will capture it and then present the true value; they will be part of the reassessment that we are going to do, and we will then re-present it to the government.”
Adole said the initial asset enumeration was done in 2019–2020 and, as the policy of the AfDB demands, it was re-enumerated in 2023.
The project will be completed in 18 months.
Culled from Sun