The federal government has been able to restore about 80 per cent of the electricity transmission and distribution facilities damaged by terrorist group, Boko Haram in the northeast through the intervention efforts of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), THISDAY has learnt.
THISDAY gathered from the May 2018 monthly power sector operators’ meeting held in Yola, capital of Adamawa State, that the duo of NDPHC and TCN had been instrumental in helping to restore power supply to customers in states in the northeast, which are under the network of the Yola electricity distribution company (Disco).
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, explained that transmission lines in areas such as Damboa, Madagali, Maiduguri, Damasak, Gombi, Mubi, Wukari, and other areas in the work which were affected by the insurgency, have been repaired and now working.
He equally disclosed that Yola Disco has recorded some commendable success in managing the network, adding that this was despite the declaration of a force majeure by its initial core investor in 2015 and the government taking it over.
According to him, Yola Disco had shown that the government was committed to the electricity sector and its privatisation exercise.
“It is obvious that incremental power is returning to the customers within the Yola Disco franchise, this was obvious from my first visit to inspect resumption of work at the substations.
“The Maiduguri TCN substation, the Mayo-Belwa TCN substation and the installed distribution infrastructure which had been damaged by insurgents have become fully operational. There are testimonies from customers and big-time farmers in Adamawa that they are getting regular supply from the national grid,” Fashola said.
He added: “This is what change means, and it is consistent with our roadmap of incremental power.”
However, in an interaction with the Managing Director of the NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, he told reporters that about 25 distribution facilities had been installed for use by Yola Disco in Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba and Gombe states.
Ugbo, explained that 16 injection sub-stations were completed by the NDPHC under its normal project schedule, while additional nine were completed under an emergency intervention window.
According to him, in Adamawa, the projects were done in Mubi, Numan, Jabbi, Konar, Girei, Gushua, old Powerhouse, SPY, Dumne, Diima and Tinde Laro; in Yobe, they were in Potiskum and Damaturu; while in Taraba and Gombe, they were in Wukari, Jalingo, Riyal and Bauchi road.
In Borno and Bauchi States, he said they had projects in Boma, Bui, Gombe road, and Misau road.
He also explained that the nine intervention projects included the supply and delivery of transformers and distribution materials required for reconstruction and rehabilitation of 26.5 kilometers 33kV injection sub-station with associated 11kV line networks at Nguru.
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