By Ofem Uket
At a Federal Executive Council meeting FEC, held in March this year, a $61. 5 million, and N16. 3 billion contract was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to procure Transmission line materials and the construction of a 15 killometer turn in turn out sub stations across the country.
The outgoing President,Muhammadu Buhari’ s administration had earlier on promised to generate, transmit and distribute 25, 000 megawatts of power before its terminal date in office, against this backdrop, contracts and power projects are continually awarded and implemented to ensure that even if the targeted megawatts are not on wheel, the government has documented projects to realise its power sector reform agenda.
Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this while briefing correspondents at the end of the council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that $61.5 million dollars and the onshore component of N145 million inclusive of all the taxes were for the procurement of transmission lines materials for reconductoring works for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to him, another approval was sought and given in respect of the award of contract for the construction of a 15-kilometre turn-in, turn-out line of the existing Akure-Ado-Ekiti 132 single-circuit transmission line at Akure 330, 132, 33 sub-stations of TCN at the cost of $2.5 million with an onshore component of N988.5 million.
In a media chatt with the managing director Lagace Power limited, Rhoda Afolabi, said her company is an indigenuos ESP power contractors with impecable track records of performance having completed strategic power projects across the country.
“We have completed the mechanized Trace maintenance work at Benin-Onitsha transmission lines, construction of new Abeokuta- Igboora Lalante transmission lines, Shagamu out door sub-stations, construction of 132/33 kv D/C Bays extension in Ikorodu and Shagamu Lagos”.
Other construction works includes 2×60 MVA, 132/33KV at Odogunyan, 2x60MVA, 132/33KV at Ayabo and Ikeja, construction and furnishing of 250 capacity lecture hall and the supply of special sports equipment at the 29th National sports festival.
According to Afolabi, Laga Cepower is engaged in engineering and technical services with vast experience in power, oil and gas”It is a Nigerian company with 90 percent local content “,
At a visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, the power company has restated that it fabricate and manage engineering works to develop local capacity in the power sector, especially when the industry is dominated by foreign engineers and electrical contractors.
The Managing Director had at that visit told the Vice President that her company as EPC contractors will continue to maintain standards and measures that are not only dynamic but sustainable in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry NESI.
However, the Federal government has over the last seveen years given top priority to developing the power sector using models, infigenuos power contractors like lagace power.
The power sector any where in the World is a major driver of economic growth for high productivity in manufacturing, industrial, agricultural and tecnology components for National Development.
Though, the sector has so much to do to improve supply and stimulate growth in the economy , vandalism of electrical installations and equipment across the Nation has affected and resulted in the inadequate and irregular supply of power to consumers.
Nigeria has 23 generating plants with the capacity to make 12, 000 megawatts to the national greed, and out of this amount less than 7, 000 is generated, transmitted and distributed same, though the needed energy to provide steady and adequate supply is 40, 000 megawatts.
At major power sector conferences, the Managing Director Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN, Sule Abdulaziz has commended the Lagace power limited for its leading role in executing power projects, especially its competence and local content.
He said the company has provided emplyment and career progression in the engineering and power sector to drive needed growth.
Again, the minister of power stated: “I presented three memos to the council today (Wednesday) and I got approval for the three memos.
“The first memo sought the council’s approval for the procurement of transmission line materials for reconductoring works for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in favour of Messrs Legacy Power in the sum of six million dollars; that’s the offshore value. The component for the onshore is N145 million inclusive of all the taxes and 12 months of completion.
“The second memo seeks the council’s approval for the award of contract for the construction of a 15-kilometre turn-in, turn-out line of the existing Akure-Ado-Ekiti 132 single-circuit transmission line at Akure 330, 132, 33 sub-station Transmission Company of Nigeria in favour of Messrs Legacy Power Limited in the sum of 2.5 million dollars; that’s the offshore component; the onshore component is N988.5 million.
“The sub-station in Akure, which has been completed over two years ago, is a 330 sub-station and we could not energise that sub-station of lack of line, the line is supposed to come from Benin which is a new line under construction.
“I have spoken to this project here several times; the project has a problem of the right way which we are dealing with gradually and the line is supposed to energise the Akure sub-station which was completed over two years ago.
“The line is coming from Benin North to Oshogbo which will pass and energise the Akure sub-station. So, this project is 132 lines from the Akure sub-station going to Akure-Ado-Ekiti which is simultaneously going on with the Benin North-Akure line.
“By the time we are able to energise the Akure line, this project would have been completed so that the whole area will have no problem with electricity.
“This project will be completed in 12 months and was also approved by the council.”
The minister added: “The last memo which has five projects on it sought to design, supply and install 132 32kv sub-station and transmission lines across different locations in the country for TCN in favour of several contractors in the total 53 million dollars; this is offshore; then the onshore is N15.6billion.
“The projects are all similar—design, supply and install 2 by 60MVA 132 33kV transmission sub-station across the country as I stated earlier.
“We have one in Misau Local Government Area, Bauchi state, we have another one in Mashi Local Government in Katsina state; we have the third one in Benue state, which is Api and North bank in Makurdi; then we have the fourth one which at Ebonyi state I by 60MVA transformer at a university in Ebonyi state; then, we have the other one at Ebonyi Airport; then, the fifth one is a line of 30 kilometres at Rimin Zakara to Kayin in Kano.
“So, these are the various projects that constitute the various amount—offshore of 53 million dollars and the onshore component of N15.6 billion.”
