Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has directed the Federal Ministry of Power to ensure speedy evacuation of power generated to ensure constant power supply.
The Vice President gave this directive, Friday, when he chaired the 24th Board meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) overseeing the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), which held at the State House, Abuja.
Vice President Sambo, who expressed delight with the current generation capacity of over 4,200 megawatts of electricity, however, lamented the lack of integrity and associated problems of the transmission and distribution lines to evacuate the generated power.
Arc Sambo, noted that with the quantity being added to the national grid, Nigerians were experiencing improvement in power supply. He therefore directed the Ministry of Power and the NDPHC to ensure speedy completion of the transmission lines, and the injection substation for the delivery of constant and stable electricity to Nigerians.
He also directed that a meeting be convened to tackle the problem of gas supply to the power plants, which according to him was also militating against power supply.
Vice President Sambo in line with President Jonathan’s Performance Contract policy directed that the National Planning Commission should draw up a Performance Contract that will be signed between him and the Board of NDPHC. He also directed the NDPHC to ensure that such Performance Contract trickles down and that all of its consultants sign a performance bond, which according to him would enhance service delivery.
Earlier the Minister of State for Power, Arc Darius Ishaku, disclosed that the country was currently generating more than 4,200 megawatts of electricity, saying that the transmission and distribution network has integrity issues, which is affecting the adequate evacuation of the generated power. He assured the meeting that the Ministry was doing everything possible to arrest the issue.
On his part the Managing Director of NDPHC, who was represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Mr. Louis Edozien, disclosed that the NIPP projects in Sapele, Alaoji, Olorunsogo and Omotosho were currently generating 1,350mw. He however, noted that they would have achieved more but for gas supply. He assured that progress was being made to ensure early delivery of all NIPP projects in the country.
The Board under the chairmanship of Vice President Sambo approved the purchase of replacement parts for Gas Turbines for Calabar, Egbema and Gabarin power plants from General Electric the original manufacturers; and the board also approved the engagement of fire-fighting management providers for Olorunsogo, Sapele, Alaoji, Omotosho and Ihovbor power plants. The Board also approved the provision of gas pipe line to Geregu Phase II, NIPP power plant and also for the extension of project consultancy work for construction of Omotosho Phase II power plant.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, the Minister of State Finance, Dr. Yarima Ngama and other top government functionaries.
