Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant Environmental Impact ... - IFC

Azura Power has made a commitment to source employees from local
communities where the skills base makes that possible, and will recommend
its contractor(s) to follow a similar recruitment policy.
All of the major semi skilled and unskilled jobs such as drivers, cleaners, field
workers, supervisors, and technicians should be sourced from the local
residents with both on-the-job training and off the job training support from
Azura. Management level and skilled positions will also be made available to
Nigerian nationals or international consultants.
Benin is an industrial town with a substantial skills base. Moreover, Edo
State’s high unemployment rates amongst semi-skilled skilled youth means
that the majority of the semi-skilled workforce required for the construction
phase will be available within Edo State. It is therefore likely that the majority
of the Project benefits will be retained within the region.
In addition to direct and indirect employment, increased economic activity
among Project suppliers and Project expenditure will result in induced
employment and income generation.
The construction phase for the Project is expected to result in the following
positive impacts:
• Generation of direct, indirect and induced employment;
• Increase in household income through wages and Project spending;
• Increase in economic activity among local businesses; and
• Development of skills through job training and applied work experience.
Although Azura Power identifies the EPC contractor as the responsible party
for the selection and management of all sub-contractors, Azura Power will
seek to monitor and guide the sub-contracting practices of the EPC contractor.
Azura Power emphasizes the need for high quality sub-contractors that will
adopt Azura’s policies on community liaison and local workforce
employment. Azura Power’s CLO will work to oversee that all policies are
adhered to with regards to liaison with the community.
Impact Significance
The extent of impacts to employment and economy is expected to be regional.
While employment skills and service/supply capacity for construction phase
activities exists in Edo-State, primarily Benin City, skill levels and numbers of
available workforce are currently insufficient within the local communities for
the Project to have a significant impact at that level. The duration of the
impacts will be primarily limited to the construction phase, and will therefore
be short term. Azura Power has committed to maximise local employment
and contracting, both directly and through subcontractors. Moreover, the
region has experience with this type of project and has begun training
construction workforce for recruitment. As such, the probability of the impact
occurring is likely. The overall magnitude is therefore considered to be minor.
AZURA EDO IPP
7-65
DRAFT EIA REPORT