Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project, which has been on the drawing board since the inception of the current democratic dispensation has received some green light as the senate has resolved to urge President Bola Tinubu to include the all important project in the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda priority projects.
This was the outcome of debate on a motion on “Urgent Need to Address the Challenges of Commencing the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project sponsored by Senator Manu Haruna (Taraba Central) at plenary on Thursday.
The Senate’s only prayer after thorough debate on the motion was that the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations should liaise with the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure project be included as part of the renewed hope agenda for funding.
The lawmakers expressed concerns over the inability of the project to be implemented since its conception.
Leading debate on the motion, Manu noted that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Power signed a contract with a consortium of Chinese contractors, comprising CGCC and CGOC in 2017, to construct a 3050 megawhats hydroelctric power project, known as the Mambilla Hydroelctric Power Project in Taraba State at the sum of $5.792bn.
He explained that ,”The Federal Executive Council of the Buhari administration approved the said contact with an agreed JV funding stricture of 85%from the Chinese consortium (CGCC-45%,SHC-35% and CGOC-20%) and 15%from the federal Government of Nigeria as counterpart funding for the entire project with a 72 months construction period and on a site area over 146sqkm in Kurmi, and Sardauna local Government of Taraba state “.
While commenting on the motion, immediate past Governor of Sokoto state, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, called on President Bola Tinubu, to see to the revival of the Mambilla hydroelctric power project as a legacy project of his administration, by activating the necessary measures to see to the actualization of the project.
Senator Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South) said the agricultural opportunities in the Sardauna Province of Taraba state where the project is located is beyond anyone’s imagination.
He said unfortunately “we are playing politics with this”, adding that “something is wrong with us”
Former President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and Senator Sani Musa supported this position, informing the Senate that a company known as Sunrise, which dragged the Federal Government to court had already withdrawn the matter paving the way for the Constitution of the construction without legal hurdles.
Reacting to the motion, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Babangida Nguroje, commended the Senate for standing in defense of the Mambilla hydroelctric power project with the view to ensuring that the project was execute.
Nguroje also expressed enthusiasm at the timely presentation of the motion and the fact that Sunrise company had written to withdraw its legal case that created a legal impediment to the project, stressing that no country can make meaningful development without effective and efficient power supply.
He mainatined that beyond the project standing as a legacy of the Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Mambilla hydro project has capacity to trigger local content beyond Kurmi and Sardauna Local Governments of Taraba state, saying that it would serve and improve the power crisis in the country.
He expressed joy that the project would create over 55,000 jobs, construction of resettlement homes for over 100,000 people, hauling and supplying of over 2.7 million tons of steel, production and supply of over 76 million tons of quarry stone and provide opportunity for cement manufacturing companies as well as auto-manufacturers in Nigeria.
We commend the ingenuity of the 10th Senate as well as the North East Governors for bringing back the conversation at this time, with the favourable disposition of the current administration of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu,” he said.
He maintained that adding about 3050 megawhats into the subsisting 2000 megawhats would go a long way to improving the power sector and creating more jobs.
The chairman Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa (Niger East) in his contribution informed his colleagues that only encumbrances on the way of the project, especially the legal matter instituted by Sunrise have been completely removed through the personal intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) said the issue of Mambila is about Nigeria, adding that the more we diversify the source of power the better for the country.
He said “Renewed Hope Agenda should mean reviving projects that have been abandoned” just as he advocated for a law that arbitration on business in Nigeria must be done with the shores of Nigeria and not in a foreign country.
Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Ogun West) said Mambila was one of the priority projects of the Buhari administration, but “along the line nothing happened, adding that now that the administration of President Tinubu has transferred it to Greener Infrastructure funding it will be executed
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) who is the chairman of Senate Local Content Committee said injecting 3050MW to national grid is very important as we look for cleaner energy.
She advised that there should be no sentiment in the selection of companies that will participate in the local content component of the project.
Speaking with journalists in the National Assembly, Senator Manu Haruna said the multiplier effects oof the 15% counterpart funding by the Federal Government, which is for local content, meaning Nigerian local contractors will be part of the project i.e Ashaka Cement, Defan Motors, Innosson Motors, etc.
More than 55,000 jobs will be created in the 72 months (6 years) life span of the project.