By Daniel Idonor
THE Federal Government on Monday conceded that the recently-granted amnesty by President Umaru Yar’Adua to militants in the Niger-Delta was the only available antidotes for achieving the targeted 6000 Megawatts promised to be delivered to Nigerians by December this year by the government.
Rising from a meeting at the office of Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, the Presidential Steering Council on National Integrated Power projects submitted that the offer of amnesty by Yar’Adua and its acceptance by the militants will guarantee a more regular supply of power in the country as it would ensure a full return of peace to the troubled region.
Gas supply to the various multi-billion naira turbines/NIPP power plants built across the country has in the recent past become the government’s headache, as all the pipelines, through which gas is expected to flow to these facilities, which in turn generate the needed electricity for the country, are in the absolute control of the militants.
Addressing State House correspondents after yesterday’s meeting chaired by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of State Power, accompanied by Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State and Theodore Orji of Abia State, reiterated government’s position that peace in the Niger Delta will guarantee regular power supply to Nigeria; since it would result in an uninterrupted supply of quality gas to power electricity turbines across the country.
“We are hoping as the amnesty is unfolding, peace in Niger Delta and the damage pipes now will be put back in functional application very shortly so that we can have enough gas to generate the required capacity,” the minister said.
Way disclosed that following the epileptic supply of gas to the power generation turbines, government turned attention to the use of hydro power generating stations for power generation; noting that the pressure on the hydro stations have resulted in the drastic reduction of water in the dams – a development he said led to the shutting down of some of the generating plants.
According to him, “today’s meeting marks a mile stone in the actualisation of the present administration programme in the actualization of 6,000mw and 10,000mw by 2011. All the approvals for the implementation of the projects between now and 2011 have been finalized today. If you want to get 10,00mw by 2011 the time to start is now and they have approved today, the remaining generation plants that were conceptualized in the phase on project. They have approved those ones. All the transmission projects that will create a complete loop so that you can wheel power right round Nigeria.
Commenting on current power supply, he said: “there is improvement, each day we are improving one turbine or the other because this 6,000mw we told you is coming from our existing PHCN installations. The NIPP is not part of the 6,000mw that we are talking today and this rehabilitation we are talking today is going on day in day out and the capacity is been improved upon on the monthly basis.
He added that “we approved for the second phase programme of the NIPP which will cover Omotosho and Geregu power plant and the transmission line. The council approved N15. 4b for the 8 critical PHCN transmission projects and additional $13.5m for the transmission line to Jalingo basically requiring that support work to begin to deliver are taken care of in terms of project self serving and especially the transmission requirement both from the PHCN and NIPP end.”
Further, he said; “We just thought that the funding should be taken out of it, but for the secretariat the budget is actually N1.9b. for the Omotosho and Geregu plants, the Nigerian local content we are talking of N132.6b and $801.4m and also another 2.9m pounds;” adding: “ the secretariat is domiciled in the Niger Delta Power Holding Company. This money voted for the secretariat is for salaries and operational cost for the period of one year. It is not a capital vote.”
Mr. President this is a sign of great weakness, Henry Okah is a common criminal and a thug. Henry Okah is a wanted fugitive and an agent to the indicted and corrupt ex governors. Henry Okah is an agent to the illegal oil bunkeres and oil thieves. Henry Okah, his principals the ex governors and their collaborators have blood in their hands and collect blood money at the expence of the people of the Niger Delta. Mr. President Henry Okah is not a freedom fighter. Mr. President you have been conned by tour AGF, the friend and backer of the corrupt and indicted ex governors, his friends and backers. Mr President the list, that was recovered from camp 5, contain the names of the corrupt and indicted ex governors, their friend and backers. Mr. President is this the reason, why you do not want to release their names? Mr. Presidents do not forget that some military persons, you sent to the Niger Delta to mentain peace, as their Commander In Chief were slaughtered in cold blood. Mr. President you must name and shame the people on the list, so that these militry people will not die in vain.
Now Mr. President let us get to the point. Your so called amnesty, that was sold to you, by the AGF will fail and deserves to fail. Mr. President you must address the real problems of the Niger Delta. Mr. President your so called amnesty, is a deliberate distraction to mask, the actual problems. Mr. President there is a plan and amaster plan for Abuja and environ. Mr. President where is the master plan for the Niger Delta? Mr. President you have just, awarded 0ver 300 billions naira contract for a ten lane for Abuja airport. Mr. President why have you, not awarded a contract just for at least only a two lane road to link the state capitals of the Niger Delta with the rest of the country? Mr. President you and your predicessors rapidly developed Abuja and environs, Mr. President Why not also rapidly develope The Niger Delta? Mr. President the money that was used to rapidly develope Abuja and environ came from the oil and gas of the Niger Delta. Mr. President please stop patronising us, with this your so called amnesty of a thing, that was sold to you by your AGF, the friend of the corrupt and indicted ex governors. Mr. President you can not fool us with this amnesty and Henry Okah shinanigan. Mr. President give the people of the Niger Delta immidiate masive ecconomic developement and the Niger Delta immidiate massive developement. Mr. President any thing short of these is BABU. Mr President, it is Edmund Burke of Middlesex England, in the 17th century, in support of the American war of Independence, said that injustice is a wrong and a wrong must be righted. That statement was true then, as and it is very true now in the Niger Delta. Mr. President if one human being or a group of people, through injustice and abuse of naked power, tries to tyranise it over another, it is a power usruped from The Almighty God and resistsnce is a prlme duty. Mr. President no amount of your so called amnesty, will fool us the good people of the Niger Delta. Mr. President address the real issues. Mr. President use the excess crude money to immediatelt develope the Niger Delta and ecconomocally empower the people of the Niger Delta. Mr President draw down 30% of the external reserve to immediately develope the Niger Delta and her people. Mr. President we do not want, any excuse as this is a price worth paying for permanent peace. Mr President this excess crude money and the external reserve was used to rapidly develope Abuja and environ, Mr. President why not the Niger Delta. Mr. President bribing, a few shameless so called leaders, from the Niger Delta is not an option and will never be acceptable to the people of the Niger Delta. Mr. President the so called exploiration of oil and gas by the oil companies and the attitudes and activities of all governments and so called leaders from the Niger Delta is at the very best, exploitation, corrupt, disgraceful, distasteful, sickening, criminal and a very serious crime against humanity. Mr President in the words of President Regan to Presidenyt Gobachov, Tear down this wall. Mr President we the people of the Niger Delta, do not want Amnesty as we are not criminals. Mr. President we did not commit any crime, because we own the crude oil and gas that is sustaining Nigeria. Mr.President we the people of the Niger Delta want, justice, equity, fair play and above all the fear of The Almighty God. Mr. President the ball is in your court. Mr President you can not, be seen to be pussy footing, with the very people tormenting us the good peope of the niger Delta with your so called amnesty.