The Senate yesterday passed a unanimous resolution urging President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, to speed up the commencement of the Mambilla and Zungeru hydro-electric power projects. 

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba) and 40 others on the two power projects, capable of generating 3,750 megawatts. 

Yusuf said the Mambilla power plant has taken more than 30 years lingering in a planning stage, while the standard period for planning, construction, engineering and test-running of such a project is just between five and seven years. 

“An engineering and technological edifice of the status of the Mambilla Hydro Dam has unfortunately become a political campaign tool through successive governments and administrations, through which politicians garner votes, instead of its original platform of being socio-economic driver of modern development for the nation,” he said. 

He said the process leading to the realization of the 700MW Zungeru Hydro-electric power project has slowly resumed after years of suspension, delays and technical and administrative bottlenecks. 

He said even at a capacity of 0.5 completed, Mambilla and Zungeru Hydro-electric plants will mean an addition of some 3,750 megawatts to the national grid. 

Senator Bayero Nafada (APC, Gombe) seconded the motion. 

In passing resolution, the Senate urged President Buhari to direct Fashola to periodically publish proceedings, events and actions relating to the two projects. 

POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE

DATE:05/04/2017