Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
House of Representatives Committee on Power yesterday expressed anger over the inability of the multi-billion Mambilla Hydropower Project to commence operation, over 48 years after the 3,050 megawatts capacity facility was initiated.
The lawmakers maintained that if not meticulously monitored, the project located in Taraba State, might go the way of the almost $500 million Abuja Closed Circuit (CCTV) contract which was fully funded, but never saw the light of day.
It was gathered that the project initiated since 1972 and had been awarded to different contractors with huge monies expended, had encountered several set-backs, prompting former president Olusegun Obasanjo to re-award it in the twilight of his administration but this was subsequently cancelled by late president Umaru Musa Yar’adua.
In 2017, under President Muhammadu Buhari, the project was again awarded as a Joint Venture to Chinese firms for about $5.792 billion to be partly funded by the China Export Import (EXIM) Bank as a concessionary loan.
Speaking during an oversight assignment to the Ministry of Power to interact with the Minister, Saleh Mamman, and the management of the ministry, the Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Magaji Aliyu, who led other lawmakers, expressed surprise that though billions of naira had been spent on the project by successive administrations, there was nothing to show that the project had even commenced.
Although he commended the current minister for his efforts at breaking down all the bottlenecks surrounding the hydropower project and working to untangle the legal issues be-devilling it, the lawmakers, who grilled some directors of the ministry, stated that henceforth all documents on the agreements with the Chinese firms and bank must be made public.
“How much money was appropriated and how much money was released out of the appropriation under the Buhari administration? We understood that we had only just acquired the land. Somebody somewhere must have been pocketing the money.
“The minister must let us have an audited report on the matter. Let us know how many years this project has been in the books, how much money was appropriated and what was done with the money?
“The committee wishes to appreciate the efforts of Mr. President for the approval of funds and other activities geared towards kick-starting the Mambilla power project. This is an indication of government displaying the political will to provide adequate and steady power supply to Nigerians.
“As House members, our mandate is to ensure prudent utilisation of appropriated funds and to be on the same page with the executive in ensuring infrastructural development,” he said.
The committee also expressed reservation over the slow pace of work at the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) and directed the director in charge of the agency to relocate to Niger State immediately.
Also, the committee accused the presidency of playing games with the planned relocation of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) from the Ministry of Power to the Finance Ministry, describing the move as illegal.
“The House of Representatives and the entire National Assembly is inquisitive about the slow rate of implementation of the HYPPADEC Act, 2010 and its subsequent amendment.
“I wish to draw your attention to the earlier resolution that HYPPADEC must commence operations by 1st of January, 2020. Another issue which is of equal importance is our observation of power play by agents of the executive arm concerning happenings at the NBET.
“NBET, no doubt has a critical role to play as the key financial organ of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). As lawmakers, we frown upon any attempt to contravene any aspect of the law. The provisions of the Electric Power Supply Reform Act, 2005 with regard to successor companies shows clearly that NBET is an agency under the Ministry of Power.
“It is my opinion that the alleged decision to move NBET from the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Finance is akin to hitting the self-destruct button.
“We cannot afford to play politics with an issue as sensitive and as vital as this. I therefore use this opportunity to reiterate that as far as the National Assembly is concerned NBET still remains an agency under the power ministry,” Aliyu said.
But speaking on behalf of the minister, Faruk Yabo, Director Renewable Energy and Rural Power Access, who is also the Chairman, Project Delivery Committee of the Mambilla project, explained that the inter-ministerial committee chaired by the minister has three key mandates, including to rebuild the scope and design of the project based on the current and future of the electricity market in Nigeria.
“The nature of the Nigeria electricity market has changed. And therefore there are new developments and the government has to look at the project more clearly.
“Unfortunately, we had until last few months not been able to say that the project is taking off. Two committees have been set up. We have been inaugurated and we have visited the site after about 10 hours of long journey, including going on bikes.
“That is to tell you that as we speak there is no even access road to the site. So, the road ends about 20 kilometres to the place. But since the inauguration of this committee, we have met with Taraba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku, the contractors, consultants and other experts. Within the next two months, we will come out with an optimised design,” he explained.
He said the ministry had received commitment from the host communities that the dispute over the land would no longer be an issue, noting that contracts had been awarded for the demarcation of the lands to allow full legal ownership of the project.
