CEM REPORT, ENERGY | The Senate has expressed dissatisfaction over the actualisation of the Mambila power project, describing it as a mirage.
The senate said money budgeted for the slightly about 3,000 megawatts has so far yielded no fruit over the years.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Sen. Gabriel Susuwan at the 2023 budget defence of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under the Ministry of Power noted since 2017 nothing has been put forth by the ministry concerning the project.
“We were told that it was going to be re-scoped, even though the re-scoping of the project has not been done.
“So in essence, it means that there is no project that is on ground like Mambilla. It is all about talks and lip service, that is why we are concerned about the money that is provided for consultancy and the money used for the training of staff that is supposed to be utilised if Mambilla was in place.
”Why provide monies all these years when nothing actually is on the ground,”
His committee directed the Minister of Power to ask the permanent secretary and other desk officers to appear before it to explain how the yearly budgetary allocations for Mambila have been utilised.
“Since 2017, monies have been provided for Mambila but nothing was done on the project despite the pressure we have been mounting on the federal government.
”It is clear that the Mambilla power project will not be able to start before the end of this administration.”
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu in his defence said the ministry met with stakeholders and all issues of concern have been resolved, adding that the litigation on the project was the only problem hampering its commencement.
“Regarding Mambilla, we have met with stakeholders and we are resolving the situation.
“It has something to do with litigation, there is nothing going on regarding moving to the site.
”The EFCC has stepped into the matter and we have given them information about it, we have given them a history of the power project, our lawyers have interfaced with the anti-graft agency, unless we are able to pull out of litigation, we can’t do anything.
“I don’t think the investor will bring his money where there is an encumbrance.”
