AFTER 50 years on the drawing board, the Zungeru Hydro-electricity Dam, expected to generate about 700MW of electricity to the national grid, has finally taken off with the ground breaking ceremony by the President Goodluck Jonathan in a colourful ceremony in Zungeru, Wushishi Council of Niger State on Tuesday.
The Dam, when completed, will bring to four, the number of such constructed in the state, making the state unarguably the power state in Nigeria.
The first was the Kainji Dam, with an initial installed capacity of 760MW, which was commissioned in 1968, followed by the Jebba Dam in 1978, with an installed capacity of 540MW, and the Shiroro Dam, commissioned in 1990 with an installed capacity of 600MW.
Interestingly, while the Kainji and Jebba Dams are on River Niger, the Shiroro and proposed Zungeru Dams are on River Kaduna.
However, the Zungeru project was conceived in the early 1980s and has been on the drawing board for 30 years since the first feasibility studies by Messrs Chas T. Main International of the United States (US).
Successful governments had tried fruitlessly to bring the project to a reality, due to the enormous technical complexities and high financial implications involved, the project could not proceed as scheduled.
But determined to transform the power sector within the short and medium terms, as a catalyst to the growth and transformation of the economy, the federal government was undeterred by these challenges.
Consequently, the approval and the award of the contract for the real Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) was granted Messrs Synohydro Corporation/China National Electrical Engineering Corporation (CNEEC) consortium at N162.9 billion, with a completion period of four years.
According to the Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, while giving an overview, the project would be finance by through a long-term credit from Exim Bank of China on a Debt-Equity ratio of 75:25.
She disclosed that the funding has been secured by the Federal Ministry of Finance at two per cent and has paid its equity portion of 25 per cent of the total funds.
One cheering news from the minister was that before the ground breaking ceremony, the resettlement action plan and social impact mitigation efforts had commenced, as the funds for the resettlement, in line with international best practices, had been secured.
The host communities consist of 88 wards in Shiroro, Rafi and Wushishi councils, which would be positively impacted.
It was heartwarming to the state that as part of the efforts by the present administration, the project, during and after completion, has the capacity to improve on the socio-economic lives of the people of Zungeru.
In addition, the host communities would be energised, thereby paving way for increased economic activities, especially for the rural women, who are engaged in the processing of agricultural commodities for export.
Overwhelmed by the numerous benefits the state stands to gain from the Dam, the people could not hide their joy, as they roll out their drums to celebrate what Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu described as a gift to the state.
The governor said the epoch-making event would not only add value to power generation in the country, but also boost employment in Zungeru and environs, as well as boost tourism in the state.
In recognition of his concern for the people of state, with the ceremony project and ongoing dualisation of the Abuja-Minna road, three members of the state Council of Chief- the Emirs of Minna, Kontagora and Kagara, conferred various chieftaincy titles on the President as Jagaban Minna, Maiyaki of Kontagora and Dan’Hasken Kagara.
Aliyu assured the President of the support and cooperation of the people towards the successful completion.
He also appealled for the quick signing into law the amended Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), as according to him, “when you talk of hydro power, you are talking about Niger State, and that is why we in the fore-front for the HYPPADEC.”
While laying the foundation for the project, Jonathan said despite the current security challenges, his administration has the will to take up any challenge that would transform the economy of this country.
He stated that the whole essence of governance is for the government to do all within it powers to ensure that the people live a happy life and in a conducive environment and create wealth for the people.
“That is why am appealling for the understanding of all Nigerians to cooperate with government to enable it achieve our dream as a nation,” he added.
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