By Prince Okafor

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the disbursement of funds for the clearing of about 218 containers of power equipments stranded at various sea ports in Nigeria.

Fashola disclosed this during an official visit to Duncan Bonded Terminal in Lagos.

He said: “In Mr. President’s effort to give a stable power supply to every Nigerian, he has graciously approved the disbursement of funds for the clearing of stranded containers containing power equipment and materials at various terminals, so as to improve power delivery to every Nigerian.”

He also said that upon clearing these consignments, contractors will move to site immediately and complete on-going priority and other projects, some of which include: construction of new Abeokuta-Igboora double transmission line and 132 kilovolt (kv) double circuit Tee-off at Igboora-Igangan.

Visit: From left: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, MD/CEO, Transmission Company Of Nigeria, TCN, Dr. Tambuwal Atiku, MD/CEO, Duncan Bonded Terminal Dr. Godfrey Shitgurum and The General Manager Transmission, TCN, Engr. Bede Opara, during an official visit in Lagos.

The projects he said also include “construction of 2X60 megavolt-ampere (MVA), 132/33kv Substation at Odogunyan and construction of 2X60MVA, 132/33kv substation at Ayobo, Ikeja West Ayobo 132kv Direct current (DC) transmission lines and 2X132 line bays extension at Ikeja west.

“Others are construction of Kaduna-Jos 330KV DC line, in Plateau and Kaduna State, as well as, the installation of 1X60MVA and 1X39MVA 132/33kv power transformers, auxiliary equipment and device at GCM transmission Substation in Onitsha, and construction of 330kv D/C Kaduna power plant Mando substation Transmision line.”

Fashola who was represented by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Transmission Company Of Nigeria, Dr. Tambuwal Atiku, disclosed that a lot of hard work was been put into negotiations for the release of these power materials due to the accrued demurrage as a result of the suspension of the issuance of import duty exemption certificate for some period in 2014.

He expressed his desire to see other shipping companies and terminal operators  supportive of the administration and cooperate in the effort to move other power project containers at their various terminals to project sites.

Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Power, Mr. Daniel Asuquo said: “We have taken into consideration when these containers will be delivered, and off course we will review the timing base on the deliverable we are expecting.

“The federal Government has negotiated release for more than 300 containers of power equipment, the actual payment to the shipping companies to the terminal operators is 218.

“Duncan terminal is one of the terminals that have the largest numbers of containers, holding 77 containers, other terminals have the balance of the remaining figure which have already been negotiated and paid for.

“The total negotiation in question when actual payments are out should be a little above N1billion. They have saved N2billion, because the total cost of releasing more than 300 containers is over N3.5 billion.