Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the construction of the $5.8 billion Mambilla hydroelectric power plant by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
According to the Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, 85 per cent of the funding for the project will come from China’s export-import bank while the Nigerian Government will provide the remaining 15 per cent.
Located on the Donga River in the eastern Taraba State, the project is expected to take up to 6 years to complete. The construction of the 3,050-megawatt Mambilla hydroelectric plant was announced over three decades ago.
“The scope of works is very extensive; it requires the construction of four dams. It will involve a lot of preparatory work (and) resettlement. It will also help Nigeria strike a very big blow on the climate change issue,” Fashola said.
Whereas several administrations promised to commence work on the project, having signed contracts and memoranda of understanding, nothing was actually done.
The government believes that once completed, the project could provide the much-needed energy to the country.
But environmental groups have expressed concerns about the project.
“Many fear that Mambilla will go the way of previous large development projects (including large hydropower projects) where contracts are meted out but projects are never built,” the International Rivers campaign group said on its official site. “If the Mambilla dam project does continue, it could mean disastrous environmental and social impacts for those already living in poverty along the banks of the Benue River.”
