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| Last Updated: Jan 19th, 2012 - 11:25:19 |
Critical Infrastructure
Power projects get N323bn
Feb 24, 2009, 12:02
| | In furtherance of the efforts geared towards addressing the nation’s power challenges and meeting the target of 10,000mw by 2011 set by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the sum of N323,158,286,574.51 billion for various power projects.
Governor Suswan who addressed the media in company of the Minister of Power, Lanre Babalola on the outcome of the emergency meeting of the Committee on the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) set up by NEC chaired by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, February 23 at the State House in Abuja, disclosed that the sum of N323, 158,286,574.51 billion was approved for release to the Ministry of Power to enable it meet the target of 6,000 megawatts of electricity by December, 2009.
The amount according to him represents about 40 per cent of the $5.3 billion approved by NEC last year as joint funds from both the states and federal government to fast-track some of the NIPP projects and boost significantly the dwindling supply of electricity in the country.
He stated that the amount approved by Council were for projects in generation, transmission and distribution. He listed those in generation to include Sapele, Alaoji, Papalanto, omotosho and other projects,
He said that Council expects that once these monies are released to the ministry of power and they go into execution by December 2009, the nation would be able to achieve 6,000MW of electricity and surely Nigerians will have cause to smile.
He stated further that Council has decided to pay visits to some these projects and that the vice president will lead the delegation to inspect Alaoji and the ports where most of the plants or items imported for use in the construction of some of these plants are lying idle for some months now.
Expressing optimism on the success of the programme this time around, he noted that this is the first time it is being transparently done; the constitution of the committee was transparently done, with a governor per zone which makes six governors with the ministers of power and justice as members of the council.
Reiterating government’s seriousness, Governor Susswan noted that the release of the money and the announcement to Nigerians attest to the seriousness of the president and the governors on the issue based on the conviction that provision of power in Nigeria is the only way that the nation can achieve any meaningful development.
This he asserted is because the money is put together by all Nigerians as each state through the legislation of the House of Assembly contributed certain sum of money. It therefore a serious process handled transparently.
The Minister of Power, Mr. Lanre Babalola in his remark stated that the programmes identified for 6,000 MW is clearly spelt out; most of the plant of PHCN will be repaired in an extensive rehabilitation program and reinforcement of the grid system.
He said there is a whole lot of activity to strengthen the generation of electricity system from generation up to distribution to ensure sure that the ministry is on course to 6,000MW.
According to him, the budget is a major boost for the power sector and the power supply that Nigerians eagerly expects adding that with the knowledge of the situation, the ministry is working assiduously for a sustainable improvement.
Explaining the drop in electricity supply experienced in the country recently the minister said the situation in the country is still fragile because of the network and that the various efforts of government and money voted into the power sector is trying to address that.
He specifically identified gas supply to thermal plants and the seasonal fluctuations in water level in the hydro power plants as the major problems causing fluctuations in the generation level on a day to day basis.
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