BY MAIRIGA Juliana, Minna
The Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and the former Senate Committee on Power, Senator Philip Aduda has paid unscheduled visit to the on-going multi-million Naira Zungeru Hydro Power projects, where they also expressed optimisms on its timely completion.
The on-going Zungeru Hydro Power Project, expected to inject 700 Megawatt to Nigeria’s power sector when completed is the fourth in Nigeria’s major electricity power generating dams in Niger state after; Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba.
While Governor Bello expressed optimism that the project will be delivered on scheduled by December, 2019 all things being equal, Senator Aduda said he is looking forward that the, Zungeru dam would improve power supply not only in the state but entire Nigeria when completed in the next 25 months.
Both Governor Bello and Senator Phillip Aduda spoke shortly after an unscheduled inspection tour of the power plant in Zungeru, in Wushishi Local Government area of state, just as the Governor expressed satisfaction at the level of work.
Governor Bello happy with what they met on ground said, “With the commitments of President Muhammadu Buhari to this project and the pace of work which we have seen today, I am sure the December, 2019 deadline for delivery of the plant target will be met”.
“The level of work now compared to the last time I visited the dam site last it is quiet enormous and encouraging. With what I have seen and the briefs by the consultant, official of Ministry of Power and the contractor, I am sure we are on course and the project will be delivered on schedule”.
The highly elated Senate Committee chairman on Power, whose committee midwife the ground breaking ceremony of the project during the previous administration, said he is happy at the progress made so far on the project and expressed optimism that the first turbine of the power plant will be fired by December 2019.
Philip Aduda who is still a member of the Senate committee on power said, “I was here about three months ago and have followed the progress made on this plant. I was the Chairman Senate Committee on Power when the ground breaking of the plant was done and I look with nostalgia the tremendous progress made between then and now”.
According to Senator Aduda, “I am convinced that the first turbine of the plant will be fired by December 2019. When we are done with this project, we will be able to inject not less than 700 megawatts of electricity to the national grid and this will go a long way in improving the power sector”.
The Assistant Director in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Engineer Shetima Hassan, and the Project Consultant, Mr. Michel Jubram had earlier informed the Senator Aduda and Governor Bello of progresses made despite some minor challenges.
Meanwhile, the Governor has expressed appreciation to the resettlement and payment of compensation to the affected communities by the federal government just as he assured of plans to put in place a committee to interface between the contractor and host communities with a view to resolving possible differences that may arise in the course of on-going work.
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