Niger Gov: Zungeru Power Project to be Ready Dec 2019
The Zungeru hydro power project in Niger State started by the administration of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 is to be completed and delivered for use in December 2019, the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, disclosed at the dam site last Saturday.
On completion, the dam being constructed with several billions of naira would add 700 megawatts of electricity to the national grid thereby giving respite to electricity consumers in the country.
Bello, who was on an unscheduled visit to the project site, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Jibrin Ndace, said the Chinese construction company handling the job was “working according to schedule and specifications.
“With the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the completion of this project and the pace at which work is in progress on site, I am sure we shall meet the December 2019 deadline for the delivery of the plant.
“The level of work done compared to when I visited the dam site last is quiet enormous and encouraging. With what I have seen today and with the briefs by the consultants, officials of the Ministry of Power and the contractor, I am sure we are on course. The project will be delivered as scheduled.”
The governor continued: “We are conscious of the importance of this project not only to our people, but for the nation, that is why we put in place a committee to interface with the communities and the contractors. We don’t want anything to delay the delivery of this project. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we have a hitch-free operation on site and for the project to be delivered on scheduled.”
The governor was satisfied with the resettlement programme and payment of compensation to the affected communities by the federal government but disclosed that he had put in place a committee to interface with the contractor and the host communities with a view to resolving any differences that may arise in the course of the construction.
Earlier, an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Shetima Hassan, had informed the governor of the progress made so far despite what he said were “some minor challenges which were attended to with the collaboration of the standing committee put in place by the state government.”