TCN PROJECT CONTRACTORS SUPPORT ZARIA SCHOOL WITH NEW CLASSROOM FURNITURE
Oru Leonard
ZARIA, Kaduna State — Pupils of Zaria Community School, Jaja, Kaduna State, have received a boost to their learning environment following the donation of classroom furniture by contractors executing the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) NTEP-TS1 Lot 1 project, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The donation, made on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, is part of efforts to give back to communities hosting the country’s power transmission infrastructure and improve access to a more conducive learning environment for children.
The furniture, comprising new desks and chairs, is expected to ease the challenges previously faced by pupils who had to contend with inadequate seating arrangements.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Principal Manager, Project Management Team (PMT), Kaduna Sub-Region, Engr. Onaga Jacob Ugochukwu, said the gesture reflected the project’s commitment to the welfare and development of its host communities.
According to him, the construction and expansion of power transmission infrastructure should go hand in hand with initiatives that directly improve people’s lives.
“When we build transmission lines, we are building for the community. When we equip their classrooms, we are building the community itself,” he said.
Ugochukwu added that providing children with comfortable learning facilities could improve their educational experience and help nurture future professionals who might eventually contribute to the power sector.
The donation was warmly received by the school community, with pupils expressing excitement as they took their places on the newly provided desks and chairs.
In his remarks, the District Head of Jaja, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammed, commended TCN, AfDB and the project contractors for extending their support beyond electricity infrastructure to the educational needs of the community.
He described the intervention as a demonstration of meaningful partnership, noting that the community appreciated the consideration given to its children.
“This is what partnership looks like. TCN and AfDB, through the contractors, did not just pass through our land with towers and lines. They remembered our children,” Muhammed said.
He assured the project team of the community’s continued cooperation and pledged its support for the protection of the transmission infrastructure and related facilities in the area.
Other officials present at the handover included the Principal Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Ahmed Rufai Sani, and Senior Manager Engr. Afeez Kareem, both of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) at TCN’s Corporate Headquarters.
The intervention highlights the importance of community-focused initiatives in major infrastructure projects, particularly those implemented in partnership with international development institutions.
For TCN and its project partners, the donation underscores the view that the success of transmission expansion should not be measured solely by the infrastructure delivered, but also by the positive impact such projects have on the communities that host them.
