L–R: Nigeria’s Minster of Power, Engr Abubakar Aliyu; MD/CEO, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr Sule Abdulaziz; and the contractor at the Kuje transmission substation during a ministerial inspection tour of the power projects in Abuja on Friday
By ABAH ADAH, Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has reiterated its commitment to improving bulk electricity supply in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja with its six power projects, which were designed to add 1,000 megawatts (MW) as virtually all of them are at completion stage.
The Minister of Power Mr Abubakar Aliyu gave the assurance Friday during an inspection tour of the projects alongside the managing director/chief executive officer, (MD/CEO) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr Sule Abdulaziz.
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Speaking to newsmen at the Wumba station, the Minister said, “These projects, about 6 of them, combining lines and substations, are at the completion stage, over 90 per cent as you can see. We have started from Gwarimpa, where you saw a brand new Dawaki substation. That substation, will be completed hopefully between this November, December.
“It is at over 90% completion and the contractor is chasing the completion date to be able to complete and if it is completed, it will increase the capacity of the TCN by some megawatts. What they would need is enough generation. So, in all, we have six of these projects, which will increase the wheeling capacity of the TCN by over 1000 megawatts.”
According to the Minister, the Abuja project was being supported by the French Development Agency (AFD), an international a donor organisation, with the loan of 170million dollars to be used for the for project which aims to improve the system’s operational capacity towards improved and sustainable power supply in the FCT and environs.
He said the projects, including others scattered across the various segments of the economy, attest to the fact that the loans taken by the federal government are used judiciously to provide such infrastructure that would impact the people’s lives positively.
The Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work at the most of the project sites, pointed out that his ministry would do everything possible to ensure the project was delivered at the stipulated time to boost social economic development of the nations capital and its environs.
He however frowned at what he described as slow pace of work at the Lugbe site. Acknowledging that there were challenges which had halted operations in the area including insecurity, the Minister urged the contractor to redouble effort by putting in extra time and resources to make up for the lost time.
“You need to double up your speed. You can see that you’re lagging behind. Others are at about 90 per cent level of completion while you are at the level of 60 or below. Double up your speed to make up,” he said.
The Minister explained that the project was conceived in 2018 as part of the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to bequeath to Nigerians improved and stable power supply.
He urged Nigerians to be patient to reap the benefit of what the government is doing as there has never been a time when so many projects were undertaken and completed simultaneously as it is the case in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) currently.
Neptune Prime reports that the power projects visited by the Minister in their order included that of Dawaki, Old.and New Apo, Wumba, Kuje, New as well as Lugbe.
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