The Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, has directed the early completion of the Zungeru Power Plant in Niger State.
Mr Odutayo Oluseyi, Assistant Director Press, Ministry of Power, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
Aliyu spoke while receiving the consultants and contractors, Messrs. CNEEC-Sinohydro consortium in charge of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of 700 Mega Watts, Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project.
The minister assured the contractors of the Federal Government’s resolve to surmount the challenges faced by the contractors in the discharge of their duties.
He said that the challenges bother on Security, COVID 19, cost adjustment owing to the extra work outside the contracted sum and the delay in release of funds by China Exim Bank.
Aliyu further informed the contractors of efforts of the ministry of power, through the Ministry of Finance, at resolving the issue of opening of the escrow account in a commercial bank.
“Prescribed in the Subsidiary Loan Agreement with Exim bank of China which negates the current policy of Government which transferred Government accounts in all the commercial banks to the Treasury Single Account (TSA),” he said.
Aliyu expressed satisfaction with the presentation made by the contractors and encouraged them to meet the Dec 28 deadline of completing the project.
He also assured them of addressing all constraints that may hinder the delivery of the project.
Speaking earlier during his presentation, the project Director, Dr. JBO Adewumi of Coyne et Bellier (Tractebel) / Decrown Consultancy Service, said the assessed overall percentage of completion of the project is about 90%.
He pleaded for quick resolution of the constraints enumerated.
The Zungeru hydro power plant project is located on Kaduna River, 8 kilometer upstream of the confluence with the Gumna River in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
This is approximately 20 km northeast of Zungeru, 25km southeast of Tegina, 43km northwest of Minna and 77km downstream of the Shiroro power Plant. (NAN)
