UPDATED: Buhari attends first FEC meeting in 3 months

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday attended his first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting after returning from 104 days of medical vacation. Before yesterday’s meeting, the last time Buhari attended a FEC meeting was on April 3, about a month before he proceeded on his second medical vacation for the year. The FEC meeting was cancelled last week, as President Buhari received Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s committee report into allegations made against suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ayodele Oke.
At the meeting yesterday, FEC approved a contract worth $5.792billion for the construction of the 3,050MW, Mambilla Hydro Power project.
The project, which is a joint venture with the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) is for engineering, turnkey and civil engineering works that include the construction of four dams with depths of up to 150 meters each.

Briefing journalists after the council meeting alongside the Ministers of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, Sports, Solomon Dalung and Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, said the funding is coming through the Chinese Export and Import Bank with just a 15 percent counterpart funding from Nigeria.

“So the funding is coming from the Chinese government, through their Exim Bank. It is an export funding support from their government and an import from us. So 85 percent of that is supposed to be financed by them and 15 percent is our own counterpart funding. The award now triggers the contract negotiation for the financing side and when that is concluded, the project can start.

“This government approved the award of the contract today, to a joint venture of the Chinese Civil Engineering Company for the engineering and turnkey contract, including civil and electromechanical works for $5.792billion” he said.

He explained that the construction will take about 72 months or six years of very extensive scope of work, which requires “construction of four dams, one of them is 150m in height. The intermediate two are 70m in height and the smallest of them is 50m in height”.

The project which will be sited in the Gembu area of Taraba State, also includes 700km of transmission lines and will involve a lot of preparatory work with settlement and all of that, the Minister explained. “It will really unleash the potential that has been reported about Mambila for agriculture, for tourism, and also for energy. It would also help Nigeria strike a very big blow on the climate change issue and fulfil its commitment under the Paris agreement”.

Minister of Power, Housing and Works, Babatunde Fashola said the project has a potential for output of 3,050MW overall but dependent on the provision of water to produce the ultimate capacity.

Fashola added that since 1972 when the issue of the project came up, this was the first time Council was actually approving it.
Council also gave approval for the regulation of the imports and installations of boilers and pressure vessels.

According to Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, this is in line with the Factory Acts of 2004 which regulates factory management through monitoring and inspections, in order to achieve standardisation and effective codes of operation. He added that proper adherence to the law would reduce environmental hazards and loss of human lives in case of accidental explosions.

Meanwhile, Vice President Osinabjo has taken over negotiations with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities members.

Ngige said it was part of the resolve of the council, that Osinbajo henceforth oversee and preside over the negotiations, until both parties reach a truce.

The development is coming a day after the union boycotted a meeting scheduled with officials of the Federal Government.

ASUU who have been on strike in the past two weeks, have accused the government of not honouring its part of the agreement reached in time past.

 

Elizabeth Archibong