FEC approves multi-million naira power projects in Buhari’s hometown-Daura

The minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, yesterday disclosed that the federal executive council approved multi billion naira contracts to boost power supply in Daura, Katsina State, Yobe as well as other parts of the country.

He said: “Council approved award of contract for the engineering procurement, construction and financing on the implementation of 330 KV and 132 kV line transmission lines and 33 KV, 11 KV and 400 PE distribution line project under phase 1 of the presidential power initiatives.”

He revealed that the project was awarded in favour of two contractors in the sum total of $581,629,355.93, inclusive of 7.5%, at the prevailing exchange rate with period of completion 36 months as indicated.

“The recipient companies for lot one, from DL from Benin and Enugu DISCOS, Messes SLD electric.

”Then, Lot DM 3 Abuja, Jos, Kano, Kaduna DISCOS, Messrs China civil engineering construction cooperation totaling distance of around 13,000 kilometers for the two LOT and it has been graciously approved by council,” he added.

The minister also disclosed that the Council approved the award of contract for the construction of 750 kilowatt solar PV power plant at the headquarters of where TCN is also situated in the sum of N1.6 billion with completion period of six months.”

He said: “Council also approved a routine maintenance for the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

”The council approved contract for the upgrading of the substation in Potiskum town in Yobe State with 132 power transformer.

”It is an existing substation, which has been there for a very long time with only one transformer and it serves a lot of areas around Potiskum.

“It is the largest town in the State with a very huge population and is the hub for commerce and transportation.

”So, with this upgrade, Potiskum will become a hub for electricity transmission and distribution.

“The other component of it is the line bringing additional line from Damaturu. Before now, the line is coming from Gombe, which is over 200 kilometers. It is a 132 single line coming into Potiskum to power the substation.

“So, having now 330 substitution in Damaturu, that makes it easier and more prudent to take electricity from from Damaturu to Potiskum over a distance of 120 kilometers. Because the longer you take the electricity on a 132 line, you get low quality of electricity.”

The minister also stated that the Council approved construction of two by 60 MBA and 132 line a transmission substation at Sapade in Ogun, at the total cost of a foreign component 10.2 million dollars and local component of N3.3 billion.

“The third one is the supply and installation of 33 KV substation equipment at Emirate Katsina state, in favor of eases Power Deal Construction limited in the sum of N4 billion,” he said.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has advocated for abolition of the position of Minister of State in the Federal Cabinet, saying it is an out of the law of the nation to appoint a Minister of State.

Keyamo made his feelings known during the FEC valedictory session presided over by President Buhari to mark the end of the Federal Executive Council, under the Buhari administration at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Minister of State, who commended the President for enriching his Curriculum Vitae, through the appointment, noted that some other Ministers of State, had been grumbling and unable to be bold and speak out.

According to him, it will be difficult to assess the individual performances of the Ministers of State since their discretion was shackled under the discretion of the ‘superior Ministers’.

He said that original ideas developed by a Minister of State were subject to clearance by another colleague in cabinet before they could sail through for consideration by Council.

He said: “Mr. President, you first appointed me as Minister of State in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in August, 2019 and you later redeployed me as Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“Today, I cannot find the words to express the depth of my gratitude to you for finding me worthy, out of over two hundred million Nigerians, to be nominated and subsequently appointed to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

”My curriculum vitae has been greatly enhanced – forever.

“What I am about to say, therefore, is not and should not be construed as an indication of ingratitude. Far from it.

“What I am about to say is just my own little contribution to our constitutional development as a relatively young democracy and to aid future governments to optimize the performance of those they appoint as Ministers.

“Mr. President, the concept or designation of “Minister of State” is a constitutional aberration and is practically not working for many so appointed.

Successive governments have come and gone and many who were appointed as Ministers of State have not spoken out at a forum such as this because of the risk of sounding ungrateful to the Presidents who appointed them.

”However, like I said earlier, this is not ingratitude.

“As a private citizen, I am on record to have gone to court a number of times to challenge unconstitutional acts of governments for the sake of advancing our constitutional democracy.

”So it will be out of character for me to have gone through government and be carried away by the pomp of public office and forget my role as a member of the Inner Bar and my self-imposed role over the years as a crusader for democracy and constitutionalism.”

NAN