₦airaland Forum

fidzy:
Calling people telling them to vote Buhari is not an outreach biko. Don't people know who they want? Abi campiagning no do?Its bribery not outreach and hunger for power. And the worst is using peoples info to reach them, something that's supposed to b confidential. The info wasn't meant to call people telling them who to vote for.

#ignoranceondisplay



#change

kaboninc:
See how easy it is to run your hands and discredit what GEJ has done.



www.railway-technology.com/projects/abuja-kaduna-rail-line/

Abeg, if the British did not start the rails to open up the regions and access our minerals (enugu coal, jos tin etc, Kano agricultural products) we might still be at the mercy of our low quality leadership. Obasanjo’s govt was already working on it. Proof below.

http://www.ngex.com/business/public/Broadcast-by-President-Obasanjo-on-Nigerian-Railway-Modernization-and
Stafff | August 09, 2006
Broadcast by
His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR
On Nigerian Railway Modernization and Expansion Programme
Abuja, August 9, 2006


Fellow compatriots

It is with gratitude to God and great joy that I address you today as we mark another milestone in our on-going efforts to rejuvenate and reposition our country for greatness and sustained development. We have resolutely embraced reforms in order to move away from a past that was characterized by fiscal recklessness, plan indiscipline, misplaced priorities, and general insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people.

I am pleased to note that our reforms, your sacrifices and commitment to purposeful change are now yielding results. On all sectors of the economy, we are witnessing rapid changes and these are being acknowledged by the international community especially by our development partners. While we give thanks to God and I specially commend all Nigerians, we cannot and must not rest on our oars until we get to our set goals and destinations.

One area in which we have invested a lot of time, energy and resources is infrastructural rehabilitation and development. It is difficult to believe that in the decade before 1999, not a single investment was made in the power sector. The railway was not an exception to this neglect and policy indifference. Hence, I am pleased and proud to inform you all today, that the government has come up with a very bold and comprehensive agenda for the re-development, modernization and expansion of our national railway transportation system to meet our socio-economic, political, cultural development and integration objectives.

Broadly speaking, transportation offers tremendous potentials and opportunities for activating, stimulating and integrating national economies and ensuring national interaction and unity. The role of the railway mode of transport in particular has been quite significant in this respect and is quite evident in international economic and social relations and even within nations such as Nigeria.

No nation has achieved holistic development in all its ramifications without a coherent, integrated, efficient and reliable transportation system. It is therefore important that we place our railway development in proper historical perspective in order to fully appreciate the importance of our new path and approach in our inter-modal and comprehensive transportation system planning and development.

This inter-modal system includes road, inland waterways, and air transportation. Our investments in these areas are coordinated to make a lasting impact through a holistic transportation system across the country. Though I have not included bicycles in the inter-modal list of transport systems, it must not be forgotten, if only for its physical exercise and therefore, health implications.

The development of railways in Nigeria, like in most African countries was the initiative of the Colonial Administration with the objectives of exercising full political control, penetrating the hinterland, and evacuating goods to the coast for export to develop and feed their industry.

Actual railway construction in Nigeria commenced in 1898 with a 32 km line of 1067mm gauge from Iddo (Lagos State) to Otta (Ogun State), which was further extended to Ibadan covering a total of 193 km in 1901. Railway construction continued incrementally in such manners between 1901–1910, Ibadan–Jebba (295 km); 1907–1911, Kano–Baro (562 km); 1909–1915, Jebba–Minna (252 km); 1914–1916, Port-Harcourt–Enugu (243 km); and 1922–1927, Kafanchan–Jos (179 km).

Unfortunately, in spite of the obvious benefits of railway transportation, further development was more or less stultified between 1927 and 1958- a period of thirty-one years. It was not until 1958 with the construction of Kafanchan to Bauchi line (238 km) that work resumed on the rail system. This was followed between 1961–1964 with the Bauchi-Maiduguri line (302km).

This brought the total rail route of the Nigerian Railway Network to 3505 km (and if sidings are included, to 4,332 km).

In addition to the network mentioned is the 277 km on-going standard gauge railway specifically built and being dedicated to the steel complexes of Ajaokuta, Delta (Warri) and Itakpe (Iron-Ore mine). This line that stretches from Itakpe through Ajaokuta to Warri is at 90% completion level and would be put into full operational use this year as a Concession line to the operators of the concessioned Ajaokuta Steel Plants.

The emergence of the Nigerian Government Railways in 1912 was paradoxical and challenging especially with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914. Railway development in Nigeria during this period brought in its wake great socio-cultural impact as seen in the movement of traders from different regions and ethnic background to commercial towns created by railway activities. Besides normal commercial activities in these new commercial towns, inter-ethnic marriages, new dressing habits, food and languages and new tourist attractions, have emerged including mega towns referred to in Nigeria as Railway Towns. These include Lagos, Umuahia, Zaria, Kano, Kafanchan, Jos, Enugu, Aba and Port Harcourt.

The establishment of the Nigerian Railway Corporation in 1955 with sole responsibility for the provision of rail transport in Nigeria provided an exciting opportunity for the movement of goods and persons across the country. The corporation performed reasonably well between 1955 and 1979. In the period 1972 – 1979, in spite of efforts by Government to rehabilitate and reposition the sector, a steady process of decline in its business operations had set in.
This process was later accelerated by the systemic decay of the Corporation’s entire infrastructure, manpower and institutions.

Statistics on passenger and freight traffic show that while the Corporation in 1964 carried 11,288,000 passengers and 2,960,000 tonnes of freight, these figures dropped to 4,342,000 passengers and 1,098,000 tonnes of freight in 1974. Thereafter passenger traffic gradually grew back to 6.7 million in 1978 and reached a peak of 15.5 million in 1984 with the help of RITES of India brought in by our military administration. This declined again to 3.0 million in 1991 and 1.6 million in 2003. The same dismal performance is also reflected in the freight traffic fluctuation from 3 million tones in the 1960’s and 1970’s to less than 100,000 tonnes in recent times.

The same deplorable performance is reflected in the 6% daily locomotive availability rate and in the fact that only 25% of the over 700 Coaches and 4,000 wagons were available for use in recent times. It was certainly a combination of corruption, poor management, inefficiency, lack of adequate marketing, failure to develop new lines and to plan ahead or introduce new technology and adapt to global best practices that saw the near total collapse of the railway in Nigeria.

Government made several efforts in the last 20 years to address the deterioration. Such efforts included:

(a) Techno-Managerial Services by Rites of India (1979 – 1982);

(b) Romanian Project for the supply of Rolling Stock and
Workshop equipment (1986 – 1996) but inconclusive; and

(c) CCECC Track Rehabilitation and some Rolling Stock (1995 – 2003).

In addition to these efforts, studies were concluded on how to get the railway started including the 25-Year Vision Plan which provided the global framework and benchmark for possible Rail expansion and modernization for over 8,000 kms linking all State Capitals and major population centres and industrial areas in the country to be developed over a period of twenty-five years. The report was prepared in 2002.

As part of the effort to bring in private capital, skills and technology, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is already considering the possibility of concessioning the existing East, West and Central lines (i.e. Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri with link line from Kafanchan to Kaduna; Lagos to Kano; and Itakpe to Ajaokuta to Warri Rail Lines respectively). Even this requires minimal rehabilitation to get value for money from concessionaires.

Today, we have a new vision, a new commitment, and a holistic strategic plan encompassing expansion and modernization of the Railway to be implemented within a 25-year time frame. Various scenarios and options of commencing and progressing with the implementation of the Plan have been presented for consideration at various fora. Following the presentation of Draft Final Proposal to the Federal Executive Council on 19th July, 2006 the Federal Government endorsed an implementation Plan entailing:

(a) 3 Nos. Longitudinal Lines, Lagos – Up North, Warri – Up North and Port Harcourt – Up North

(b) 4 Nos. Latitudinal Lines; and

(c) Branch and Extension Lines.

This covers all the State Capitals and major commercial centers in the country. Within this framework, it is further agreed that the 1st Phase of the Railway Line should entail the Lagos–Kano Standard gauge, double track railway line spanning over 1315 kilometers with a loop from Minna to Abuja and only Abuja to Kaduna being single track due to inadequate anticipated traffic. It was further agreed that the scope of work, segmentation and construction will follow 5 segments:

1. Lagos – Ibadan

2. Ibadan – Ilorin

3. Ilorin – Minna

4. Minna – Kano; and

5. Minna – Abuja – Kaduna.

This new approach will significantly impact on our people and their communities. It will ease movement, reduce reliance on vehicles and the airport, promote tourism, and build on the foundations of integration, unity, cooperation, and social harmony that we have been working so hard to consolidate.

The design criteria or technical features are:

1. A speed of 120 to 150 km/hour for passenger service

2. A speed of 80km/hour for freight service

3. Rail gauge of 1435 mm Standard Gauge

4. Maximum gradient of 12%, and in exceptional situations 15%;

5. Minimum curve radius: ordinary terrain 2000m, difficult terrain 1200m;

6. Traction type: diesel-electric engine (3 phase engine).

7. Axle weight: 23 tons

8. Type of rail: 60kg/m

9. Block type: computer interlocking, inter-station automatic block, subject to being upgradeable.

10. Continuous welded rail shall be applied on all the tracks.

The construction of the rail line will employ tens of thousands of Nigerians immediately. The entire project will promote technology transfer, the building of new skills, and the development of rail allied industries. As much as possible, local materials will be used.
Furthermore, the towns and communities around the railways will experience an improved socio-economic activity that reduces their unemployment rates.

Fellow Nigerians, this is a critical stage of our national economic growth and development. Our much desired national economic growth, development and cohesion can only be achieved with a modern and virile transportation system of which railway is a very critical part. Therefore, all Nigerians should co-operate with the Government, its consultants and contractors to ensure that the project is completed at the scheduled time for the benefit of all.

Phase I is scheduled to be completed in four years at a cost of $8.3 billion of which $2 billion is being obtained as soft loan from the Chinese Government. Phase II, which will be the second spine of the backbone- Port Harcourt to Jos, with the same design criteria, will follow on the heels of Phase I.

In this regard, those who have encroached on railway land should quietly leave such piece of land to save the Government and themselves the effort of using all means to reclaim such right of way. There will also be need to acquire new land for the modernization and expansion to new locations. I appeal to State Governments and land occupiers to co-operate in making land available for this all-important project.

By the grace of God Almighty, contract formalities for the award and commencement of Lagos–Kano 1st Phase Project of the modernization programme will be signed this month; and construction work will commence immediately thereafter.

To start with, the Federal Government is committing the sum of US$2.5 billion dollars – one billion dollars from the Chinese Government concessionary loan and with one and a half billion dollars Federal Government counterpart additions between 2006 and 2007. It is my hope that subsequent Administrations will buy into this vision and that other friendly countries will offer similar concessionary loan assistance to continue the project in the years ahead with the possibility of a West African regional railway system.

I look forward to the successful completion of the first phase of the Project and the realization of our 25-Year Rail Vision for our benefit and those of succeeding generations. Let us collectively welcome the new future of railway service in Nigeria.

May God continue to bless our dear country, Nigeria.

Thank you.
==

#change
#GMB
#APC

meccuno:
We as a people do not know what we want. We base our arguments on either religious and ethnic sentiments......every tribe has very corrupt people in which when they merge,they form a formidable force in Nigeria.....yes the president didn't do much according to the SW media, but what they present is even worse than what we currently have.....Nigeria spends 75% of its wealth on payment of salaries to Individuals who are not up to 2% of the population of Nigeria and are still the same people who scream change.....mismanagement of funds by the state local and federal level and governors who eithe appease their god fathers than put capital projects in place........I feel disgusted when people try to play on our collective intelligence by using the media to impose a candidate who is still having an intellectual capability of 1mb to run a complex country like Nigeria.......all they have been doing is abuse and insult without addressing issues that are tantamount to success of this great Nation.......@ the end of the day alliances are formed,politicians palms would be greased,that 1% population would be satisfied while we end up where we started from......because we decided to follow the crowd than think for our selves based on ideologies devoid of sentiments......

Nobody is imposing a candidate on you. If you prefer the south East media, good luck to you. Why grouch when you have your choice. That Jonathan will lose is your real whine, but the majority of Nigerians must have their say and way. That is democracy 101. Nigeria is not complex. For the last 60yrs we have been talking about roads, rail, electricity, Education, health care etc and after 16 years of the pdp can you blame the people for being unimpressed with the current leadership that can't even hold its party together? I bet you believe the president when he says he will use 'technology' to fight corruption! That level of obtuseness, we can do without.

#change
#GMB
#APC

Change2015:
And in your bitterness have you noted that INEC has said it has no problem with Buhari’s qualifications and that any aggrieved parties may use the courts as they are constitutionally entitled. And by the way a diploma from the USA war college is indeed superior to a wasc certificate but that would be of little interest to you! Education is more than getting the piece of paper, as clearly demonstrated by Jonathans incompetence.

#change
#GMB
#APC

Once again, Soludo expands the debate, challenging Iweala.
[b]"I hereby challenge your attempt to blame others for not saving for the rainy day. It is not a virtue when you are quick to appropriate all the credit when things are going well, but shift the blame when they go wrong. You blame the state governors— who, according to you, have taken the Federal Government to the Supreme Court—not that a Supreme Court judgment forced your hands. For your information, the governors have never agreed to savings and always threatened court action even under Obasanjo. Why did we save under Obasanjo but not under Jonathan? Two keywords explain it: leadership and integrity. Governor Amaechi said the governors insisted on sharing the funds because they found out that you were illegally fiddling with the savings. So, as Nigerians still wonder, if billions of dollars are now ‘missing’ under your nose, why should governors trust you to keep their money? Do the states that have taken the federal government to the Supreme Court and refused to save also include the PDP governors—who are in the majority? If so, then it is fatal: even governors of your own party, PDP, do not trust you to keep their money! Furthermore, did the governors also stop the Federal Government from saving part of its share?[/b]

https://www.nairaland.com/2124861/ngozi-okonjo-iweala-missing-trillions-1#30337289

#change
#GMB
#APC

Descartes:
Prof. Soludo, hope you have gone back to the classroom where you belong. No matter what you write, these Abökìs will not give you even an icing sugar from the cake they are distributing/sharing among themselves.

You trivialise the discussion with the shallowness of your contribution. The discuss about economic management, not ethnic bigotry. As far as we know Soludo is still in the pdp, as are the people he is disagreeing with.

#change
#GMB
#APC

fidzy:
Imagine one number called my aunt asking her to vote buhari...and when she asked how they got her num they said PVC info...isn't that bad enough? I just can't believe this people.

It is public information available to both parties! Obviously the apc is not taking its outreach work as a joke. I got a call too. Has the pdp tried to speak with you or the Labour party or APGA etc? This is part of how democracy functions.

#change
#GMB
#APC

Your sharia comment is a fail, because you deliberately misunderstand Buhari. As for corruption, the tools are there. We have the EFCC, icpc, and other police squads that are now comatose, even in comparison to their liveliness under Obasanjo's tenure. Fighting corruption requires the leader be appropriately of good conduct and character, firm in determination. All these are qualities Jonathan obviously lacks,and Buhari has in abundance. Jonathan has tolerated the immigration fraud and deaths scam, he pardoned Alamiesegha after one day in jail, let Stella Oduah off the hook, and the list goes on. The Malabo oil scam has tainted Diezani, as have all the beneficiaries of the subsidy scams, and yet Jonathan is more concerned that Buhari dared to jail Nwobodo fo stealing, because according to him it wasn't even much that he stole. We are tired of this kind of wretched president and really look forward to change him.

#change
#GMB
#APC

sexyseun:
The worrisome part is that some people will still come to this thread and say they have been having light for the past 5days without it blinking, some will say since last month they didnt take light oooo...
The power sector really need to be revamped, I will surely cast my vote for any of the two president to be willing to give us steady power come feb 14th.
By the way, thats a brilliant article by our very own Chimamanda Adichie... When i grow up, i will like to be like you

The people who say that are simply liars. If the volume of electricity generated and distributed has barely increased, anyone getting 'more' electricity is simply ignoring the fact that someone else is thereby getting less or nothing at all. But then again we know their fake 'transformation' agenda jazz.

#change
#GMB
#APC

fritiyo:
am sure the constitution an electoral laws demand from all contesting election to present the least certificate to INEC or did that escape ur good memory, snce sovereign wealth fund is unlawful n unconstitutional.

And in your bitterness have you noted that INEC has said it has no problem with Buhari’s qualifications and that any aggrieved parties may use the courts as they are constitutionally entitled. And by the way a diploma from the USA war college is indeed superior to a wasc certificate but that would be of little interest to you! Education is more than getting the piece of paper, as clearly demonstrated by Jonathans incompetence.

#change
#GMB
#APC

anonimi:
Did you read what the JagaBandit head of Thief'nuibu CABAL actually said about the PASSED law or you are just blabbing

More likely that you are trying to distort FACTS and create the usual trademark CONFUSION on which APCheat's wobbly foundation is built and their FRAUDULENT house sustained.


BTW, you should remember this when shouting about reduced reserves ok!

If you look at sections 7(6), 162(1-, 164 etc of the 1999 constitution, our superior law, you will understand that it provides essentially for the distribution of federal revenues. In the light of that any such purported savings scheme initiated by the Federal government is unlikely to withstand a constitutional challenge, if it involves the withholding of funds due to another tier of government without their express consent.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/370042/1/who-will-deliver-us-from-this-goodluck.html
Femi Fani Kayode - 2012

When President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power we spent 300 billion per year on the fuel subsidy. Under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan it shot up to 1.3 trillion naira in the last one year alone. Can someone please explain to me how it got so high in 4 years and what exactly they were subsidising with the extra one trillion naira? When the Obasanjo government left power in 2007 the country was no longer in debt and the 30 billion dollar foreign debt that Obasanjo met when he came to power in 1999 was fully paid off.

Today, under the administration of Jonathan, our country is back in debt to the tune of 41 billion dollars (both foreign and domestic) and we are still borrowing. Can someone please tell me what the loans were used for and whether we will ever be able to pay them off? When the Obasanjo administration left power in 2007 our foreign reserves were 80 billion dollars even though when he came into office in 1999 we only had 1.5 billion dollars.

Today our foreign reserves have dropped from 80 billion dollars in 2007 to 33 billion dollars. Can someone please tell me where all the money went? When the Obasanjo administration left power in 2007 23 billion dollars was left in the Excess Crude Account after he built it up from nothing in 1999. Today we do not have one dollar left in that account because the money has been squandered and the account scrapped. Can someone explain to me who spent that money and precisely what it was spent on?
__

Obviously when it comes to managing funds, few people believe the federal government has much integrity. Now we have Soludo and Utomi giving their views on the economy and it's management. It is not only the APC that thinks things could have been better managed. Why rack up debt in the oil boom period? Even Obasanjo has commented on the depleted reserves as compared to his term in office.

#change
#GMB
#APC

anonimi:
You must be talking about this =>




www.nairaland.com/attachments/2065934_image_jpeg9f360c5ab7736510df54c882e9dbf188

A Sovereign wealth fund requires a law establishing it at an alteration to the constitution otherwise it is an illegality. The federal government is bound by the constitution to distribute revenue according to a prescribed formula. NOI and the president surely know this. Even a good idea needs a legal foundation. The federal government has scarcely been able to explain the amount it receives from oil sales much less the amount it pays as subsidy, so the states are right to be suspicious and wary.

#change
#GMB
#APC

BlackTechnology:
Surely they shall gather but won't prevail

After all who wan lose his oil well

Obviously you know nothing about the oil industry. The major players have been entrenched for decades, no matter the government in power.

#change
#GMB
#APC

kallmemrB:
gbam... KO....thumbs ups chidoka u are pure olodo



British Airways(BA) is the flag carrierairline of the United Kingdomand its largest airline based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations. When measured by passengers carried it is second-largest in Britain, behind easyJet. The airline is based in Watersidenear its main hubat London Heathrow Airport. A British Airways Board was established by the United Kingdom government in 1972 to manage the two nationalised airline corporations, British Overseas Airways Corporationand British European Airways, and two smaller, regional airlines, Cambrian Airways, from Cardiff, and Northeast Airlines, from Newcastle upon Tyne. On 31 March 1974, all four companies were merged to form British Airways. After almost 13 years as a state company, British Airways was privatised in February 1987 as part of a wider privatisation plan by the Conservative government. The carrier soon expanded with the acquisition of British Caledonianin 1987, followed by Dan-Airin 1992 and British Midland Internationalin 2012.

Don't mind them. British Airways transited from state ownership to private ownership but it is still a going concern. Let pdp tell us where the ruins of Nigeria Airways lie, and why Richard Branson (Virgin Nigeria private sector driven national carrier/joint venture) fled the country in disbelief at the levels of corruption in the industry.
http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/nigerian-politicians-are-too-corrupt-and-insane-richard-branson/

#change
#GMB
#APC

Collynzo9:
Idiotic illiterate, what is the difference between jailed and detained?
A jail is a place where someone is kept while trial and interrogation are going on whereas a prison is where the person is kept after he has been sentenced.
So Ajasin was jailed!

Ignorance please flee. Most of the people in prison, are awaiting trial, so they cannot be said to have been 'jailed'. The authorities may detain a person pending investigation or trial, but jailing only occurs after an adjudication of a case and the person is found culpable. Ajasin was not found culpable of any crime so he was never jailed or sentenced. Unlike Alamiesegha who was convicted and jailed, and freed after just one day in prison by your wonderful anti-corruption president, Goodluck. The bible says, with your learning, get understanding!

#change
#GMB
#APC

ozo13:
how abt this pgej own

Lol, thanks jo!

#change
#GMB
#APC

It is really sad that the son of a teacher, will write in the manner you do!

#change

http://thepointernewsonline.com/?p=21591

It will be interesting to see if Uduaghan will commission the project before his tenure ends. I know quite a few Deltans and their opinion of how's things operate there is not complimentary. Building a separate distribution network in lagos would be a nightmare, especially if the federal government is slow to consider right of way issues, as the city rail project has discovered.

#change
#GMB
#APC

http://www.punchng.com/news/delta-to-inaugurate-power-plant-in-december/
Delta state to inaugurate power plant in December
February 11, 2014 by Our correspondent

The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has said t the state’s Independent Power Plant will be inaugurated by the end of the year.

Uduaghan said this in Abuja while delivering a lecture, titled ‘Leadership-My Personal Experience’, to participants of Course 22 of the National Defence College, Abuja, a statement on Tuesday by the state government said.

He added that leaders in the country must to be transparent, sincere and run an inclusive government, stressing that “for a leader to lead, he must have strong self-belief and strong internal and unshakeable values.”

The governor explained that the Delta IPP would be privatised to ensure better management.

“Delta State in the foreseeable future should be energy sufficient to support domestic, household demands and for industrial use,” he said.

Uduaghan added that the state government involvement in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company would boost power supply to the rural areas which will improve the economy of these areas.

He said the state’s power plant would produce between 120 and 150 megawatts of electricity.

Uduaghan noted that rumour mongering, propaganda and destructive criticism were the worst of distractions any leader could suffer as such would create internal dissension, internal rivalry and insurrection.

He observed that the most harmful rumours emanated from those closest to the leader and decried the use of social media for rumour mongering and propaganda.

ogb5:
Delta state has what it takes to set up power plants for its citizens. Construction of some of the power plants has already started, I don't hold brief for any govt, but the deregulation policy has made it possible for a state govt to cater for the electricity need of its people without waiting for Abuja.

We should latch on the deregulation policy and ask our state governments to do more, we have all been clamouring for fiscal federalism, with more powers devolved to the states, more power has been devolved to the states on electricity generation, transmission and distribution, they should use the newly devolved power and generate electricity for their people.

While looking up power projects in delta state I came across this

http://urhobotoday.com/?p=3072
N27b Independent Power Project: Another Abandon Project in the Making in Delta State. March 27, 2013

By Efemena Otite,
Call it a big rip-off on the people of Delta State and you are dead right. The Delta State government under the leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, based on the advice of one Mr. Gary Akpobire, who the government engaged in 2007 to fashion out economic blueprint for Uduaghan, introduced the idea of establishing a state-owned Independent Power Plant to propel the expected industrialization process of the state.
Not a bad idea, but since 2007 when the government decided to go ahead with the execution of the project, over N27 billion has been injected into it but as at the time of filing this report the proposed site of the project located somewhere in Ogharefe, Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area could not be accessed because the place is marshy and the government has not been able to construct an access road to the site.
But the most intriguing part of the story of the six years old IPP project which, at conception ought to have been completed within 30 months, is the realization recently that the major contractor to the project is the governor himself in partnership with the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei both of whom are operating with the company name, DaveNotch Nig. Ltd.
It was also gathered that the main consultant to the IPP project is the current Secretary to the State government, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay whom, it was gathered,has engaged one Professor of Electrical Engineering from the Anambra State University, Awka who is representing the SSG.
Six years after the commencement of disbursement of state fund for the project,there appears to be a straight-jacket story cooked up by the governor and handed over to the Commissioner for power and energy, one Mr. Charles Emetulu.
And the story is that the contract for the manufacture of the turbines for the project has been awarded to a UK-based Engineering firm, Rolls Royce Company and that since it is not ‘panadol’ that one can pick up from the shelf, it takes time to design and build the equipment. Of recent, the story was updated, and the Commissioner has said that the two turbines have arrived at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt for more than a year now and that the problem is how to transport them to the project site in Oghara due to the bad state of the East-West road. So, Onne Port, the turbines seem to be stagnated until the East West road project is completed or, in the alternative tow the equipment with barges to Oghara town
through water.
The government keeps insisting there is progress in the project even as it
concedes there is no access road to the project site. Recently, the Good Governance Tour team led by the Minister for Information visited the state and was taken to the same Oghara in Ethiope West where he was conducted round the Delta State University Teaching Hospital and the Nigerian Navy Logistics Headquarters – all built by the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori but the state government officials tacitly did not include the IPP project in the program me booklet and therefore cleverly avoided taking the minister to the project site in spite of the fact that
the governor keeps emphasizing that the IPP project as one of its star projects, ison course.
As it is now, governor Uduaghan just has 24 months to leave the government house for God knows where but it is very obvious that the IPP project is one of the projects already consigned to the dustbin of abandoned projects.It would be recalled that the Akwa-Ibom project, Ibom Power Plant, which was initiated almost the same time with the Delta State IPP project has since been completed and functional. Even the Bauchi state-owned IPP 110 megawatts being constructed by a Chinese firm is at the final state of completion ready for commissioning.
With over N27 billion already committed to the Delta State IPP project, the government keeps emphasizing that the project is on course and that the equipment are customized for Delta State alone, hence the delay.
But as at the time of report, even the construction of access road to the proposed site is yet to commence but the Commissioner for Power and Energy has a prepared photospread of some items covered by tarpaulin which he calls equipment for the IPP which, according to him, are stored somewhere he calls warehouse in Oghara town.
Efemena Otite,
Reporting From Ogharefe, Oghara, Delta State

This is what Nigerians have experienced

Government 'privatised' electricity generation
Government grants an increase in tariff and access charge to privatised generation companies.
Government grants said companies, cheap loans to finance their activities.
http://nigeriapowerreform.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=620:boi-grants-power-sector-smes-n437b-loan&catid=34&Itemid=335

Meanwhile the consumer only sees higher bills and the same irregular supply. What exactly is the point of privatisation if the so called investor has no funds to develop the business? One may recall the Transcorp /Nitel saga. And the asset stripping both there and at Nigeria Airways. Already Sanusi has partially saved us from totally assuming the liabilities of failing banks. We cannot now be assuming more debt of a privatised power generation industry.

#change
#GMB
#APC

caprini1:
I don't understand this permutations,because since Nov 2014 I have been having daily regular power of at least 15hrs in my estate.

What is difficult to understand? If there is a limited supply of electricity, and you appear to be getting more, then obviously someone else is getting less or none.

#change
#GMB
#APC

Obiagelli:
Why is the lagos ipp prevented from selling electricity to corporate bodies on marina?

Obiageli,

You might see from the link that it does not appear to be more than a paper project at the moment. No time lines, no confirmation of financing raised, and I wonder, if the existing power stations have gas supply problems, what will fuel this project? As for the credulity of a $4bn project being sited in delta state... OK, it will take more than a YouTube video to convince me, especially when the governor is on his way out.

#change
#GMB
#APC

KINGTELLER:
Has state transmission for local consumption been enabled ?

You mind person! When lagos state started the first ipp didn't Obasanjo's government insist that all power must go to nepa for distribution and it could not supply lagos only?
People don't even talk about the distribution network that needs major investment before it collapses. The grid as it is cannot distribute 6000mw. Then we are still waiting for meters for effective billing. Many have paid almost a year ago, and they still await their meters. Transformation my foot.

#change
#GMB
#APC
#oneNigeria

Gloria Okon was rumored to be connected to the Babangidas, the same people that installed and later overthrew Buhari. IBB is still a member of the pdp. Please go ask him for the full story. Perhaps Kashamu the other alleged drug smuggler and pdp West chieftain, can also provide further details.

https://www.nairaland.com/733233/ibb-part-one
https://www.nairaland.com/28176/what-happened-gloria-okon


#change
#GMB
#APC

chukwudi44:
You will see how influential there are when theresults starts rolling in failbuhari 15

Yes FeBuhari will tell us all. Meanwhile, please let me know of one local government that Afenifere influences. Just one?

#change
#GMB
#APC

Afenifere that was given vasectomy over 8yrs ago? Pensioners club. Once Pa Adesanya died, Afenifere declined and has now consigned itself to licking it's wounds in a quiet corner of the West. Zero influence, zero impact!

#change
#GMB
#APC

pacifique:
I learnt from paper of swearing an "oath by Quran" by APC members. Did you hear that? Despite GEJ invited pastors etc, no PDP member swore by such/any means.

Stop spreading silly lies. Provide proof. #fail

#change
#GMB
#APC
#christiansforbuhari

Donmarrius:
The saga has far gone beyond party politics,hence,PDP or not,we the Nigerian youths,and every other well meaning Nigerian,who believes in rule of law,are out to prosecute Buhari for foggery and perjury.

As far as our constitution goes, I understand prosecutions happen in the courts?

#change
#GMB
#APC

BlackTechnology:
Only in Nigeria are minorities treated as slaves

Only in Nigeria will an ethnic group say they are born to rule

Is Nigeria Sarduna's estate

Where is equity equality fairness and justice


If quota system is applied in admission into schools and federal jobs/appointments to give unqualified Northerners a say,

We must apply quota system in ensuring that ethnic groups of few thousands are allowed to RULE Nigeria


What is good for A is also good for B

Say No To Internal colonialism

Say No To Political Slavery

Say No To Born To Rule


Hypocrisy must not be allowed to thrive

Abeg! So you didn't vote for the Yaradua/Jonathan ticket? Liars and bigots don't prosper

#change

modhream:
That's it,folks.FG's response to Soludo's article.
A point by point rebuttal.

Obviously you have not read Soludos article. This is no point by point rebuttal. For that refer to the APC response penned by Fayemi. Ngozis response is just a little better than FFKs abuse. Still Soludo is/was pdp, so we are glad to see you all in disarray.

#change
#GMB
#APC