Council Ratifies Mambilla Power Project Contract

Council Ratifies Mambilla Power Project Contract

The Federal Executive Council ratified an earlier awarded contract of $37.2 million for the proposed 2,600 -Megawatt Mambilla Hydro power project in Taraba state, north east Nigeria .

Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku said on Wednesday, in Abuja after a meeting of the council, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Labaran said the contract was awarded to Messrs Coyne et Bellier in association with two indigenous companies. The consortium has 87 months to complete the project.

Variation

The information Minister said the contract for the Mambilla power project had long been awarded; being one of the key initiatives of the Nigerian government towards improving energy security but, there was the need for its ratification by the Council.

''It is a crown project for this country in addressing significantly the issue of power,'' he said.

The council also ratified approval for the variation of the contracts for the construction of 225 MW Gbarain Power Plant and 338 MW Egbema Power Plant.

The ratification of the variation was sequel to memos presented by the Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Way to the Council.

Modification of design

He explained that the variation of the contracts was as a result of request made to the contractors to modify the design of the plant to accommodate additional gas turbines and combined cycle operation.

Gbarain contract was reviewed from $ 138.67 million to $ 220.10 million while the Egbema contract was reviewed to raise expected generation from 338 MW to 675 MW.

Crowd control

In another development, President Goodluck Jonathan has directed special training of security agencies on crowd management to avoid future occurrence of last week's tragedy in Port Harcourt .

The President gave the directive after the Council had reviewed the incidence.

The Council commiserates with the families of the victims of the tragedy and prayed God for the repose of their souls.

NAN/Yinka