Courtesy of Business day
Feb 8th, 2007


The Federal Government has awarded contract on the civil works of the Mambilla hydro-electricity plant in Taraba state at the cost of $1.46-billion.
The minister for energy, Edmond Daukoru, who briefed state house correspondents at the end of yesterday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), said that the contract was awaded to a Chinese company.

According to him, three Chinese companies, including the successful one, had earlier bid for the contract. He did not disclose the names of the companies.

Daukoru said that the job would involve the civil and electrical works of the project.

He said that the project, which would involve the daming of the Usam, Gembu and Ngu rivers, would generate about 2,600 megawatts of electricity.

He explained that the project would be executed partly through a Chinese loan facility of more than one billion dollars and allocation of oil blocks to the Chinese government.

Minister of state for power, Ahmed Abdulhameed, while giving further clarification on the project, said that it was abandoned even after feasibility studies was completed in 1982.

He said that the study was reviewed by the Obasanjo administration to incorporate irrigation and tourism development.

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I hope these power plants being built across the country come to fruition so we can enjoy reliable power supply in Nigeria. (Amen)

I hope our power situation improves, but OBJ has been there for almost 8 years now with no improvement yet.

I'm happy the FG awarded the contract to Chinese firms, they are really good at power generation and distribution.

Abi o they are providing power for over 1 billion people. So they must know what they are doing !

Also, they are not into that much propaganda as the western countries

Where's the criticism. It'll come any minute, yep

Abi o they are providing power for over 1 billion people. So they must know what they are doing !

Also, they are not into that much propaganda as the western countries

Yes you are very correct. I live and work here in China. I have seen that this people can make things work! left for them alone the issue of non availability of electricity will be a thing of the past within a short period.

@donnymikky

Na waa oo, I just noticed that you really are in China.

How are you coping with the language ? Do they understand english that well ?

hee

@GNature

I can speak chinese so language is no problem. There ae so many foreigners teaching english in China so the people are appreciating english.

you speak chinese, Gawd Doe, daz tight

According to him, three Chinese companies, including the successful one, had earlier bid for the contract. He did not disclose the names of the companies.

Hmm!Why did he not disclose the name of the companies?Language problem?Did only Chinese companies bid, or was it arranged to be that way?This smells of graft!I don't believe it!

He explained that the project would be executed partly through a Chinese loan facility of more than one billion dollars and allocation of oil blocks to the Chinese government.

Again must we borrow?How much is an oil block worth?With the recent upsurge in crude oil prices we need not borrow!I am really amazed at this "arrangement".So when are we going to end up paying $1bn debt again?

He said that the study was reviewed by the Obasanjo administration to incorporate irrigation and tourism development

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE NO FOOD IN THEIR STOMACHS, NO JOBS, SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTY NOT GUARANTEED,IT'S SOME DAM THAT WOULD PROMOTE TOURISM!GIMME A BREAK!

This will help the Electricity situation in Nigeria!!!

Lewa you made some good points. Nigeria needs electricity, but we should not have to make loans and sell of oil blocks, this is bad business practices

I couldn't agree more!!!

It could result in more debt, but There's nothing serious in it, we've got Oil we might aswell use it, Oil isn't everlasting it'll run out and it'll run out in My and your lifetime

Oh, yet another white elephant project?

haha, since when has awarded contracts resulted in dramatically improved infrastructure. You guys do not know how Nigeria dey work oh. Awarded contract = avenue for money funnelling. A few dozen people in Taraba state and their associates and friends are going to be getting multimillion dollar deposits into their swiss accounts, that is all these FG contract entails.

Can you not read my friend? This contract has been won by a chinese firm!

JosBoy4Lif:

Can you not read my friend? This contract has been won by a chinese firm!

What of all the other failed contracts? Where they won by a Japanese firm?
What of the railway contracts won by Chinese firms? Where are the trains? Still in China?

I thought the railway is still in the process of being built?

Since the late Sani Abacha signed the contracts way back? How long does it take to build railways? 30 yrs?

Erm if you sign a contract and you don't pay up or keep up with payments you wont get anything.
_{the contract abacha signed was to repair tracks and supply locomotives,wagons and coaches}

I thought the railway is still in the process of being built?

Ehh, just dey wait, train go come soon, maybe 10 years for now, maybe 20, but it dey come.

Man Nigerians are something else. What dont you get about FG contracts being a way to funnel money. Abi you think the Chinese are not corrupt? Even Halliburton an American Corporation, has gotten awarded contracts in Naija and jetted. You guys just dey live in a bubble

Pathetic arguments, the Abacha contracts have long been forgotten. The contracts for this project(The Mambilla Hydro Power proje----) and the railway projects have all being signed, the railway will not take 30 years but 4-10 years and the later phases will follow. If these projects fail, then they've failed, but until then(If that's the then ) show a little optimism Bro. The infrastructure for the railway will be constucted and the carruages will be brought, If it don't happen then you can laugh at me in the end, but I'm not a fool just cos I believe

Nigeria is Developing - deal with it!!

.

Lol, OBJ is a piece of dead meat once he leaves office!!!!