SAMBO ORDERS SPEEDY EVACUATION OF GENERATED ELECTRICITY
Vice President Namadi Sambo on Friday directed the Federal Ministry of Power to ensure speedy evacuation of power generated to ensure constant electricity supply across the country.
Sambo gave this directive at the Board meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) held at the State House, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NDPHC oversees all ongoing power projects under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).
The vice president expressed delight with the current 4,200 megawatts of electricity generated by various power plants in the country.
He, however, decried the lack of integrity and associated problems of the transmission and distribution lines to evacuate the generated power.
Sambo 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 with all stakeholders to tackle the problem of gas supply to the power plants, which he said, was also militating against increased power supply.
The vice president directed the National Planning Commission to draw up a Performance Contract that would be signed between him and the Board of NDPHC.
He said the NDPHC should also ensure that such Performance Contract trickled down, and that all its consultants signed a performance bond to enhance service delivery.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Power, Mr Darius Ishaku, said the country generates more than 4,200 megawatts of electricity.
He said the transmission and distribution network had integrity issues affecting the adequate evacuation of the generated power.
Ishaku assured the meeting that the ministry was doing everything possible to arrest the issue.
ng Director of NDPHC, represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Mr Louis Edozien, said the NIPP projects in Sapele, Alaoji, Olorunsogo and Omotosho, were generating 1,350mw.
The NDPHC board, under the chairmanship of Sambo, approved the replacement of parts for Gas Turbines for the Calabar, Egbema and Gbarain Power Plants from General Electric.
It also approved the engagement of fire-fighters 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 the extension of project consultancy for construction of Omotosho Phase II power plant.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yarima Ngama and other top government functionaries.