₦airaland Forum

Walexz02: Mtschew!!!
Shey na bcoz of this tin u waste almost half of a page?
We have told you guyz to keep your mouth shut! Until we(masses) see the improvement in that sector that is swalloying almost half of the countrys money. Btw, I am at home throughout 2day(being weekend) and guess what? The heat is 3much...u know what I mean?

y should I keep my mouth shut when sometin great is happenin around me..pls I neither conceived or developed this article,LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER did.
Am quite sure u didn't even read this article before jumping to comment.Don't worry in due time you will join millions of nigerians to celebrate the end product of the power sector reforms

Tolexander: ya! Deep down in my very heart, i will be elated. But my post is one thing i've got to realise, in the 90's money wasn't really pumped into power sector as this and still, power was more stable than now when much money is pumped into the sector.
Hence the variation:

rate of money pumped into the power sector is directly proportional to the amount of megawatts of power produced and inversely proportional to the amount of electricity distributed(i.e the amount of power supply to our homes everyday)

Thank God you agree with me on that..let's just pray ƒσя the sucess of the reforms

taharqa: Guy, does GEJ look like smone who 'Gives a damn' about d Desperate but Empty machinations of sm 'Oppositn' chaps? The Guy doesn't care. He has a job to do, and History will judge accordingly..... By d way, very INFORMATIVE investigative article by Leadership Newspapers. Will save it. Thnks for posting

Abi ooo..despite the scathing but baseles attacks he has held his head up and is definitely heading in right direction.

Tolexander: I laugh in iyamiosoromonga!

Nigerian electricity improve when there are witches behind it!

I have gat to realise that the rate of pumping of resources to the sector is directly proportional to the amount of megawatts of electric power generated and inversely proportional to the amount of power distributed.

Tolexander I know if power stabilizes deep down somewhere in your mind you will be very happy.I understand your indifference cos many atimes many of us have been battered by our govt.but you need to keep an open mind on this,the process has been painstaking and is yielding results.even if u don't wanna read all this just pray 4 the success of it.if Nigeria gets it right..we all we definitely be better off.

Please fellow nairalanders ωнεяε can I get an official dell laptop service center in Nigeria

Many have been asking what GEJ is doing in the power sector that makes him claim that power will be stable by mid 2014..now here comes an investigative report by a national newspaper detailing all that has been goin on.Yet most don't wanna open the thread and if they eventually do no one wants to comment.MY ADVICE FOR GEJ..PLS REMAIN DOGGED AND FOCUSED ON YOUR TARGETS..HISTORY WILL NEVER FORGET YOU

Since the start of the year, Officialdom has consistently
assured that power supply would stabilise in the country
by December. Against this backdrop, OSIGBESAN SULTAN
LUQMAN examines the National Integrated Power Project
(NIPP) upon which the current federal administration
apparently pins its hope of improved electricity generation,
transmission and distribution by the December timeline
Poor power supply! Many an entrepreneur has bitten the
dust in Nigeria because of it. Many businesses have fled
the country on its account and many artisans have given
up their practice for some other endeavours that are not at
its mercy.
But from President Goodluck Jonathan to his minister of
power and other officials in the sector have come several
assurances that the country’s power supply situation
would stabilise by next December.
The president, in a recent nationwide broadcast insisted
that “our country’s power supply situation is improving
gradually. We are successfully implementing a well-
integrated power sector reform programme which includes
institutional arrangements to facilitate and strengthen
private-sector-led power generation, transmission and
distribution.”
Also, at a technical retreat of the Presidential Task Force on
Power (PTFP) in Abuja last month, Minister of Power, Prof.
Chinedu Nebo, assured that the on-going reforms in the
power sector would be carried to a logical conclusion under
the current administration, leading to improved power
supply nationwide.
Apparently, the President, Nebo and other officials in the
power sector are betting the pot on improved power supply
based on the multi-billion-dollar National Integrated Power
Project (NIPP). Conceived in 2004, the NIPP is a fast-track
government-funded initiative to add significant new
generation capacity to the country’s electricity supply
system as well as expand the transmission and distribution
infrastructure on a scale never before contemplated in the
nation-building process.
Originally designed around seven medium sized-gas fired
power stations in the oil producing states, the NIPP was
also meant to stabilise the electricity supply system while
the reforms captured in the Electric Power Sector Reforms
Act of 2005 take effect.
In 2005, the Federal Government incorporated the Niger
Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) as a
limited liability company to serve as the legal vehicle to
hold and manage the NIPP assets using private sector-
oriented internationally accepted best business practices.
Funded by the three tiers of government, the NIPP
currently consists of engineering, procurement and
construction (EPC) of:
10 new gas-fired power plants with a combined installed
capacity of 4,774 megawatts (MW);
Gas pipelines, gas metering and regulating stations
grouped into 7 lots for the delivery of natural gas to the
power plants;
125 high voltage transmission network projects for
evacuation of electricity from the new power plants and the
reinforcement of various segments of the national grid
network to increase its capacity to wheel 10,000MW of
electricity around the country at 330kV and 132kV voltage
levels;
Provision and integration of grid-wide telecommunication
and Tele-protection infrastructure; and
250 electricity distribution network projects at 11kV and
33kV voltage levels with injection substations and HVDS
transformers. These projects are grouped into 43 lots
spread over every state of the Federation.
Despite intensive legal, political and funding hiccups
leading to a two-year suspension, the NDPHC has so far
completed the commissioning of 14 GTS in power
generation projects located in Olorunsogo, Ogun State,
Sapele, Delta State, Alaoji, Abia State and Omotosho,
Ondo State. Cumulatively, these have increased the
country’s power generation capacity by approximately
1,701MW.
Also, the NDPHC has also added 274 kilometres (Km) of
transmission lines to the national carrying capacity through
the completion of six transmission projects namely, the
330KV DC Ajaokuta-Lokoja-Gwagwalada lines, 222Km;
330KV DC Ihovbor-Benin Main-Oshogbo Line A, 17km;
330KV DC Papalanto-IkejaWest-Ayede line, 16KM; 330KV
DC Ganmo-Jebba-Oshogbo SC-Turn In/Turn Out Line,
12KM; 330KV DC Omotosho-Ikeja West Line, 5Km; and the
two-kilometre, 132KV DC Ganmo-Ilorin-Oshogbo Turn In/
Turn Out line.
Furthermore, the NDPHC has strengthened the
transmission capacity of 12 substations, built three new
ones from the scratch and rehabilitated two of across the
country, with a cumulative capacity of 2,370MVA.
In putting up the third leg of the power tripod –
Distribution – the NDPHC also has an impressive haul of 30
completed projects in zones as follows: Abuja Zone, 2;
Benin Zone,2; Eko Zone,9; Ibadan Zone,6; Ikeja Zone 6;
Kaduna Zone, 3; and Jos/Yola Zone, 2.
Impressive as this 2012 scorecard of the firm is, the
NDPHC, according to its Managing Director, Mr. James
Olotu, plants to up the ante this year. In a presentation of
the NIPP Status Report to the 4th Quarter Power Summit
last December in Lagos, Mr. Olotu outlined the 6-point
NDPHC 2013 Plan thus:
Completion of all Gas Turbine Projects to add a massive
4,264MW to the national grid;
Follow up the outstanding combined cycle for the 510MW
Alaoji Power Station;
Follow up the completion of Transmission Projects to
deliver 2,194Km of 330 KVA lines; 5,640MVA 330/132KV
SS and 809Km 132KV lines, and 3.433MVA 132/33KV SS;
Follow up the completion of Distribution Projects of
3,540MVA substations plus 2,600Km of 11KV lines and
1,700Km of 33KV lines;
Complete gas projects and conclude all Gas Sales
Aggregator Agreements (GSAA) and Gas Transmission
Agreements (GTA); and
Receive and commence the implementation of the
Transaction Adviser’s recommendation.
A Landmine of Challenges
Apart from the nearly three-year suspension of work on the
projects, resulting in delay and extra cost, the NIPP has
been dogged by a number of issues. These include gas
supply to the power stations, security and community
issues, wayleave acquisition problems and attendant costs,
port clearing coordination challenges and contractor
performance problems.
Gas Supplies
To be sure, getting gas from the restive Niger Delta region
to fire the finished power stations has dragged on since
their completion due to the restive nature of the region.
However, the Presidential Amnesty Programme appears to
have mitigated this particular problem. Consequently, gas
supply to some of the power stations has increased even
as the NDPHC plans to complete the GSAA and GTA this
year to optimise gas supply to the power stations.
Security Issues
The agitation for resource control has spurned other
security related issues, as criminal gangs target contractors
and NDPHC personnel working on the NIPP to either rob or
kidnap for hefty ransom.
Theft of sensitive materials at NIPP sites has also been
reported. However, the NDPHC is reportedly making fresh
overtures to the Inspector General of Police with a view to
rejiging the security around those working on the NIPP and
each site nationwide.
Community/Wayleave Acquisition Problems
The NIPP also faces community-related challenges and
wayleave acquisition problems. Accretion of failed promises
over the years on the part of successive governments
appears to have engendered a deep mistrust of officialdom
in individuals and communities across the country.
This became manifest, as the NDPHC discovered, in their
dealings with government. For instance, work on some
components of the NIPP took a longer time to complete
because right owners to the project site or wayleave made
outrageous compensatory demands, in the belief that it is
their opportunity to slice off a large chunk of the “National
Cake.”
And despite the national consensus on the imperative of
the NIPP, some citizens and communities are currently
holding down some components of the power projects by
making extremely outrageous monetary demands of the
NDPHC for wayleave acquisition. The problem is especially
acute in densely populated and built up areas of Lagos,
Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu and Akwa Ibom states.
Port Clearing Coordination Challenges
Although the NIPP belongs to the three tiers of government
and should naturally enjoy the backing of all government
agencies, power equipment imported by the NDPHC under
this important national project were delayed at the ports
by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), which demanded
payment of a sundry of import tariffs on them, leading to
delays on the NIPP.
Surprisingly, some of the equipment at the ports were
even auctioned off by the ports authorities, ostensibly after
demurrage charges accrued on them over time. It took the
intervention of an alarmed Senate to recover some of the
equipment sold off under questionable circumstance,
leading to delays and higher costs of delivering them for
the NIPP.
Contractor Performance Problems
The NIPP has also come under the blows of the “Nigerian
factor.” This manifested itself in the form of calculated
delays on the part of some indigenous contractors. These
unscrupulous contractors reckoned that they could fleece
the country of more than the initial cost of their contracts
by vacillating on the NIPP long enough for new government
to take office so that they would renegotiate the terms of
their contracts, citing inflation as grounds for their
fraudulent scheme.
A few months ago, these dishonest contractors tried going
down their ignoble alleyway but the NDPHC got wind of it.
Mr. Olotu promptly cut short his yearly leave to get them
back to work!
But Where Are The NIPP Megawatts?
Put on the spot on this, Mr. Olotu tells LEADERSHIP
Weekend: “The honest answer is that they are in the
National Grid. Our injection stations are usually ready
before the add-on transmission lines. Where this occurred
near PHCN facilities, which is the case in several instances
nationwide, the PHCN authorities often beg us to energise
the stations to relieve their old, overstretched facilities and
save them from possible collapse. We oblige them in the
interest of the public. So, a substantial chunk of the
1,701MW generation capacity realised under the NIPP as at
December of last year is coursing through the National Grid
as we speak, lighting up millions of homes nationwide.”
Stakeholders in the Organised Private Sector (OPS) seem to
agree with Mr. Olotu on this score. Recent statistics from
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Lagos
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Abuja
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ABUCCIMA) and
Nigerian Association of Commerce and Industry Mines and
Agriculture (NACCIMA) put the average daily power supply
to industries at between six hours and nine hours.
Council member and past president of MAN, Alhaji Bashir
Borodo, confirmed the improvement in public power supply
across the country and noted that this had brought about a
slight reduction in their operation cost. His words: “There
has been an improvement in power supply in the country,
but I hope it will be consistent because the problem is
always sustenance. They have targeted the generation of
10,000 megawatts by the end of 2013 but even though
they are able to hit this target, would they be able to
efficiently distribute what they have generated?”
Similarly, Director-General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, also
supported the claim of an improvement in power supply in
the country, saying:
“For a long time they have not got the issue of fuel-to-
power plants right but it appears that this has improved.”
The Transmission Capacity
As an integral part of the NIPP, the NDPHC is overhauling
the country’s transmission system. In tackling this
distribution aspect of the power equation, the NDPHC is
putting the huge 3000KVA-50000KVA low voltage range of
transformers out of service and replacing them with
hundreds of thousands complete, self-protective (CSP) high
voltage transformers in the 25-50KVA range.
“Before now,” Mr. Olotu stated, “distribution lines in the
country were on low voltage connected to one huge
transformer in the 300KVA to 500KVA range serving three
or four streets. But as you may well have experienced
where you live, your street and others around are often
plunged into darkness for days, weeks or even months,
when something goes wrong with that large, single
transformer serving your neighbourhood.
“We want to end this undesirable situation for good under
the NIPP initiative. We are taking those huge, low voltage
transformers out of service nationwide and replacing them
with complete, self-protective high voltage transformers in
the 25KVA-50KVA range, one transformer to two or three
homes. When completed, this would ensure that only few
houses use one transformer and a large swath of your
neighbourhood is not plunged into darkness because the
only transformer serving four, five streets is bad. Only the
two or three houses using the 25KVA transformer would be
affected. Because of the size of this 25KVA transformer, it is
easier to locate any fault in it, which can be promptly fixed
without recourse to any neighbourhood contribution or
fundraising as common in many urban areas like Lagos.”
“These small transformers also have very low load loss,
compared to the big ones. To avoid dangerous overload,
these small, compact transformers will only be charged to
80 per cent of their capacity. The 20 per cent redundancy
will help the transformers to last longer. Because of their
compact nature, the transformers are also highly visible to
all, hence acts of vandalism on them would be reduced.”
Olotu added: “The CSP installation is fanning out
nationwide. In Lagos, for every substation commissioned,
242 CSPs have been fully installed and handed over to the
Chief Executive Officers of the distribution companies
(DISCOs)covering the areas. We have also installed some
CSPs in Ibadan and Kaduna and the electricity consumers
are getting good services through them. Nigerians will get
full value of the CSPs when they are installed nationwide.”
2013: The Power Prognosis
With what they plan to achieve this year, Mr. Olotu and the
NDPHC he leads are optimistic that the country’s power
outlook has never been brighter in a long while.
He said: “From zero contribution at inception, the NIPP
injected at least 1500MW into the national grind last year.
2013 shall be the year of multiple harvests in the NIPP. We
are determined to give a huge lift to the country’s power
generation, transmission and distribution system as never
before.
“Power supply is a function of three elements – power
generated, power transmitted and power distribution. The
global best practice dictates that power transmission
infrastructure should surpass the power generated and
power distribution infrastructure should be able to carry
more than the transmission brings on, in order to create
redundancies, which would come in handy in the event of
load loss. We are determined to achieve this global model
in this country.
“We are taking power to those who don’t have it in a
sustainable way. We are replacing the radial infrastructure
with a loop system across the country so that if you lose
electricity supply to your home or business premises from
one station source, you can have it from another.”
With $8 billion, or about N1.2 trillion, spent so far on the
NIPP by three administrations over nine years, Nigerians
are waiting with bated breath for December to come.

Source:www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/50675/2013/03/22/stable_power_supply_waiting_december_come.html

Lol...I knew this info will gladly be welcomed by a whole lot of people with many even calling for more sanctions.That south African company wants to rip us alive,yet we contribute the highest profit to the group.Abeg number portability start sharpaly.


Em..front page?....fresh air indeed

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has imposed a N90 million fine on one of the major telecommunication provider, the Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) for poor service delivery in the month of December last year.

The sanction against MTN came just as NCC Friday rolled out plans to commence implementation of new regulatory framework on mobile number portability for the telecommunication sector in April.

Mobile number portability (MNP) will enable mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.nging from one mobile network operator to
another.

Source: www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ncc-fines-mtn-n90m-for-poor-service/142929/

I thought when ABATI said most Nigerians are suffering from sophiscated ignorance that he was wrong..but reading through the comments on this thread I can't but agree with him...probably most ave not even taken time to know what the power sector reforms is all about and the successes recorded so far in its implementation.

'...Obama on March 28 will meet with the president of
SENEGAL, Macky Sall; of SIERRA LONNE, Ernest Bai Koroma; of
MALAWI, Joyce Banda; and the prime minister of CAPE VERDE, Jose Maria Pereira Neves...'
'...The multi-party meeting is not unprecedented: in late July
2011 Obama met with the presidents of BENIN, GUINEA,
NIGERIA and COTE D'IVOIRE...'
Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/obama-to-meet-four-african-leaders-in-march/142598/

Now judging from the above,the same countries that ωнεяε invited in 2011 are not the same ones that ωнεяε invited in 2013...the question is why then do our press like to blow tins out of proportion.Yes GEJ goofed in granting the pardon...but our press owes us a duty not to damage our image further..enough of this JUNK JOURNALISM

zanga420: the best comment so far, who can dispute it?

No they won't but they will only call the poster names....but truth can never ever be suppresed...
TEAM FRESH AIR all the way

lakhadimar: I WONT PARDON AN ACCLAIMED FUGITIVE AND THIEF, I WILL ALSO STOP MY WIFE FROM BUILDING A 4MILLION NAIRA WORTLESS HOUSE, I WILL TAKE UP RESPONSIBILTY AND WILL STOP BLAMING OPPOSITION PARTIES AND PAST ADMINISTRATIONS FOR THE SECURITY CHALLENGE WE ARE FACING, I WILL DEPLORE ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ME AS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND GRAND COMMANDER OF THE FEDRAL REPUBLIC TO FIGHT THIS BH MENACE

With all due respect sir,you just ended up saying notin.I simply asked how would you tackle this insecurity.GIVE ME SPECIFICS NOT TELLING ME I WILL DEPLOY ALL RESOURCES because anybody can say that.HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DEPLOY THE RESOURCES

Ogbeche77: Gimme fleets of presidential jets, N1Billion as food budget, access to the national treasury and I ll give you 1000 ways to curb the menace..

Why parry the question?

awodman: To whom it may concern..please move this thread to the front page pls..www.nairaland.com/1229481/pics-remodelled-mallam-aminu-kano .Thanks

Please don't kill the above quoted thread..front page please

Ogbeche77: your heart bleeps ke? Dem gum GEJ nyansh for Aso rock, there is option to resign if the tempo is too hot to carry on

Sorry Mr..please if you ωнεяε the president jus give me 2 quick actions you will take to curb this menance

To whom it may concern..please move this thread to the front page pls..www.nairaland.com/1229481/pics-remodelled-mallam-aminu-kano .Thanks

Good,good,good....more of these GEJ and crew....and less of gaffes...am sure more of these will pacify most of our aggreived citizens

I was almost becoming angry that the OP failed τ̅☺ mention that Ndubuisi Ekekwe was trained in FUTO NIGERIA until one of the posters posted a detailed biography of him.That guy set a record of the highest CGPA a student has graduated with from the Electrical/Electronics Engineering dept of FUTO and till date no one has broken that record.Talk of a First class material with a difference then this man is your right guy.Congrats bro and also to the rest of them.keep making the green flag fly high.GREEN-WHITE-GREEN I LOVE MY COUNTRY

[quote author=Mr. Garri.].. And you expect a Coward-In-Chief to do the "bolded"...... Right??

[/quote]Oga garri don't derail this thread pLssssssssssss....dis is not the right thread to criticize GEJ...you can find a space on any of the numerous ALAM'S PARDON thread on the front page.. ƒσя now allow us enjoy the latest FRESH AIR courtsey of JTF

Good job JTF...smoke the fucktards out...and even root out their sponsors...may the good lord continue to guide you all and protect your families..AMEN

Sincere 9gerian: Yes, Alams sinned, he was convicted and went to jail. He served his term in jail, came out and was instrumental to peace in the Niger Delta. He, along with the current president and some other Niger delta leaders, convinced the Niger delta militants to accept the president Yar Adua's offer of amnesty. It was on the basis of that the Yar Adua govt went public to declare amnesty for the Niger Delta militants, making the programme a huge success, in terms of the huge number of militants that came out and dropped their arms and ammunitions.

Consequently, oil production jumped from about 700,000 barrels per day to over 2million barrels per day. One of the immediate result of that is that huge resources is made available for state, federal and local govt, from the north to the south, to sustain infrastructural developments, the economy and our democracy.

On the surface, the state pardon granted Alams and co appears bad, but if you were at the council of state meeting and these facts are made available to you, you'll think twice before shouting no state pardon for Alams.

OK..He was instrumental to the success of amnesty..I get that now...but bro u know the mood in the nation will make people not to be rational about this issue..considering the close ties he shares with GEJ..it will be difficult convincing even an elightened mind that this was done in good faith

omenka: He should step up his fight 'FOR' corruption shey?
So, what we r witnessing today isn't enough? Smh

I never said it aint enough.Check my post and comments on this forum,you will see that I have always supported the strides the transformation agenda has achieved but like a million others I was miffed by the recent pardon granted ALAMS.YES I don't support the FIRE BRIGADE approach to fighting corruption,I understand the SEPERATION OF POWERS between the executive and judiciary.I am in support of STRONG INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS and BLOCKING OF LOOPHOLES as currently been done and I give kudos to this administration on that.But this recent pardon granted Alams I don't just understand why...seriously it doesn't gel.If you got a better xplanation am all ears.

[quote author=Buchiano(m)]Kudos to GEJ $ his team but I think they should also train $ retrain d airport staff, the rate at which they beg $ do some funny things ridicules the effort of the government.[/quote]Don't mind those airport staffs..a whole lot of them are in the mould of 'MY OGA AT THE TOP'..if an attempt is made now to weed the incompetent ones out you see them crying wolf,saying its ethnic cleansing

konn: they should not remodell only airports they should also remodel all the dilapidated roads killing thousands of people on a daily basis across the country

And which of the CRITICAL federal highways does not have a contractor on site as we speak?

Let the harvest keep pouring in...but oga GEJ abeg step up the fight ƒσя corruption

The Federal Government has said it would henceforth “take to heart” unjustified system collapses on Nigeria’s national grid which is managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who spoke Tuesday in Abuja, at the inauguration of a seven-man supervisory board for TCN, asked that diligent procedures be evolved by the supervisory board of TCN and its management contractor, Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) to stem the tide of system collapse in the transmission network.

The swearing-in of the board which is chaired by the former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) finally brings to a close a rather ugly chapter that had kept the transfer of management responsibilities at TCN to Canadian firm, Manitoba in limbo for about seven months after the contract was legally consummated by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

Nebo in his charge to the board and Manitoba stated that the government expects timely transformation of Nigeria’s national grid into a robust grid network with little or no system collapses in line with its power sector liberalisation efforts.

He explained that the TCN remains the fulcrum on which government hopes to actualise its objectives of delivering quality, reliable and efficient electricity supply system to Nigerians and as such would not tolerate slip ups.

“The TCN which is one of the successor companies of PHCN remains the fulcrum of power service delivery. The Goodluck Jonathan’s administration recognised the need to revamp and restructure TCN to make it more efficient, commercially viable and comparable to global transmission companies.

“In this regard, MHI is expected to revamp TCN in order to achieve technical and financial adequacy in addition to providing stable transmission of power without system failures,” Nebo said.

He further said: “The inauguration of this board to provide the approved guidelines to MHI in realising the objectives of government could not have come at a better time than now that we are at the critical final stages of privatisation of successor companies of PHCN.

“More importantly the sustainability of the industry post privatisation largely depends on the viability of the TCN to effectively manage the national grid.”

Nebo explained that MHI will be supervised by the board which will be accountable to the Minister of Power on issues relating to policies and challenges in the process.

Manitoba got the management contract in July 2012 to manage operations of TCN at a contract sum of $23.7 million for three years; it only got its “schedule of delegated authority” from the government last week and will amongst other responsibilities ensure drastic reduction in electricity loses from the transmission network as well as adequately dispatch generated electricity on a fair merit order.

The company will also ensure improved grid security, efficient market settlements amongst market participants, provide micro grid for captive power nationwide and transfer skills to Nigerians while managing government’s investments in the network.

Members of the board as was disclosed by Nebo include, Hamman Tukur, Akinsola Akinfemiwa, Chief Executive Officer of MHI, Don Priestman, representatives of BPE, Ministry of Finance and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, who sits on the board for independent stakeholders.

Tukur in his acceptance remarks asked the government to provide TCN with the necessary support to actualise its responsibilities.

He noted that revamping TCN will require adequate financial investments to which Nebo said, government will maximize funds to effect
Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-inaugurates-tcn-board-insists-on-zero-tolerance-for-system-failure/142033/

Disappointing is the only word to describe this development...no matter how plausible the reasons ƒσя granting Alams pardon are...the 'council of states' should have studied the mood of the nation to know that the people can't accept any explanations now,no matter how convincing

Top Chinese construction company that built the world’s biggest airport in China, Beijing Capital International Airport, would start the construction of four airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt in June, 2013.

This was disclosed Monday by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi, at the opening of the restaurant chain, Things Remembered, at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The construction of the terminals by the Chinese company was part of the agreement reached between the world’s most populous country and the Federal Government when the latter took a loan for the construction of the terminals.

Uriesi said after the initial agreement last year, government officials have been doing the paperwork to work out the details of the agreement before the commencement of work by the Chinese construction company this June.

Last year, the Federal Government and Chinese investors reached an agreement that China would provide loan for the country to build state-of-the-art terminals at the four major airports in Nigeria.

The projects, THISDAY learnt, were planned to be completed  before the end of this administration and the terminals would not only meet international standards but also rival the best in the world, according to Uriesi.

Although the terms of agreement reached between the government and the investors were not made public, it was gathered that it would be on build, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement.

The prototype of the terminal has already been obtained and the Federal Government has agreed to provide free land for the project at the four airports, and because of the expected expanse of the terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, it would be built a distance away from the existing international terminal at the airport, but would share the same runway.

FAAN Managing Director also said the agency would soon upgrade power supply in all the airports in the country, but would start Independent Power Project (IPP) that would be powered by gas for the Lagos airport.

He said in the next few weeks the new power generation plants that were almost completed would be inaugurated, disclosing that out of the six generators the airport would need only two, while the rest would be on standby.

He added that the power plants could supply electricity to the whole airport and beyond.

Uriesi also said FAAN has adopted a new way of doing business and is fully guided by international business precepts, stating that before a private investor is allowed to establish any business or build facilities at any of the nation’s airports, the investor must meet strict conditions and must be backed by a bank that would provide credit facility for such projects.

He said the number of highly placed persons intending investors know cannot influence FAAN’s decisions because the agency has to adopt international standards of doing business at the airports.

“We are doing things right now and we are doing the right thing. Any deal that we strike with anybody will be done as they are done in other parts of the world. The business expectations are clear, the criteria are clear unlike in the past.  

“We are not doing anything for a person but for Nigerians, we are not going to do anything with anybody unless we have evidence from the banks that they are funding the project and the money is there, from the day you sign and the day you start construction is six months, if you don’t start within that period, the thing falls
Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chinese-firm-to-build-four-airport-terminals-in-nigeria/141882/

I am happy that despite the controversy that dogged this aspect of the power sector reforms that the issues have been amicably resolved..definitely we are on the right path and hopefully our generation will witness uninterrupted power supply

The Federal Government did what has been considered extremely necessary in its ongoing power reform programme when it last week granted Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) absolute control of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

THISDAY gathered Monday in Abuja from sources at the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) that the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has finally signed off the controversial “schedule of delegated authority” for MHI to immediately commence operations at TCN.

Nebo accordingly signed and handed MHI the “schedule of delegated authority” last Friday in Abuja.

The “schedule of delegated authority” grants Manitoba authority over operations of TCN in relations to Market Operations, System Operations, Transmission Service Provider, National Control Centre and Information Technology.

THISDAY also gathered that the newly constituted board for TCN will be inaugurated by Nebo Tuesday in Abuja, perhaps, bringing to a close what has been considered an eventful path to Manitoba’s assumption of duties at TCN.

Government has retained ownership of TCN which is part of successor companies created off the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the ongoing power sector liberalisation exercise.

It contracted Manitoba in July 2012 to manage operations of TCN at a contract sum of $23.7 million for three years; the contract which passed through a competitive bidding process entails Manitoba repositioning TCN to effectively discharge its responsibilities in the evolving Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

However, the contract was subjected to various degrees of controversies leading to its purported cancellation and subsequent revalidation late 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan whose actions were largely informed by an advice from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The BPP had charged the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) of mis-procuring the management contract; an accusation the BPE vehemently denied citing extant laws that support its processes and actions.

Apart from the BPP/BPE disagreement, the management contract was also subjected to some forms of manipulations following alleged attempts by officials of the ministry of power to take-off certain aspects of it from Manitoba.

It was largely understood that the ministry had attempted to reserve the market operations duties from the contract; this among others were partly responsible for the delay in signing off the “schedule of delegated authority” for Manitoba as the ministry allegedly tried to amend the contract. The market operations department is technically responsible for financial settlements in the value-chain.

Nebo who confirmed the recent development to THISDAY said the contract was delivered to Manitoba intact.

He noted that no aspect of it was taken off and that a board for the TCN will be inaugurated immediately to complement the job of Manitoba at TCN.

“Yes, we have handed over the complete running of TCN to Manitoba; I have signed and handed over the “schedule of delegated authority” to Manitoba but again, we are also going to inaugurate the board of TCN tomorrow (Tuesday) to compliment the work of Manitoba,” Nebo said over the telephone.

Also, a phone call to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Manitoba, Mr. Don Priestman to confirm the development was not so successful but THISDAY however learnt that Priestman has been in a meeting with staff of TCN over the new development.

In constituting the supervisory board of TCN, the government opted for the former Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC), Mr. Hamman Tukur as chairman, while former CEO of Skye Bank, Mr. Akinsola Akinfemiwa will act in the capacity of the Vice-Chairman.

Other members of the board include the Director of Human Resources Management at BPE, a representative of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Director of Power at the Ministry of Power and a commissioner from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The TCN board will also have the representative of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), successor PHCN generation companies (GENCOS) and distribution companies (DISCOS) as members.


Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/after-seven-months-of-pussyfooting-fg-finally-hands-over-tcn-to-manitoba/141883/

I can now see the real reason why Bamaga Tukur said this 'PDP is the MESSI of NIGERIAN POLITICS