The Federal Government has promised that the ongoing Yandev to Makurdi transmission line project will be completed within 6 months to ensure power boost in Benue and across the nation.
Minister for Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, who stated this in Makurdi during a courtesy call on Governor Samuel Ortom while on a working visit to Benue, said the Federal Government is working very hard on other transmission lines as well to boost power generation and transmission in the country.
The Minister was very sure that Nigerians will see a tremendous increase in power transmission and distribution this year 2022 saying “It is a year of delivery. The Yandev to Makurdi transmission line will be completed within 6 months.”
Aliyu said the continuous collapse of transmission and distribution lines was responsible for poor power generation and distribution in the country.
He explained that at the moment, the country has an installed capacity of 13,000 but have evacuated only 5,000 mega watt with the National Grid located in Osogbo, Osun State lacking enough energy to transmit.
“Power is one area that has been receiving attention of this government. Know that government owns 40 percent of the distribution. The National grid is controlled from Osogbo and must receive enough energy to transmit power.
“Government has set out to rehabilitate the transmission grid. We are beginning to see result. Our national transmission has not increase from 5,000 mega watt but it has not dropped. We use to have more than 15 to 17 system collapse in the past but only experienced two (2) in 2021.
He spoke on the Presidential Power Initiative, done in partnership with German Government driven by Special Purpose Vehicle explaining that under the project, government has ordered 10 Power Transformers as well as mobile substations to be deployed all over the country to boost electricity.
He also stated that the federal government, through the power ministry, is currently intervening in 175 green and brown substations in the country.
The Power Minister who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Power, Mr. Godwin Agba explained that they are in the State to inspect ongoing upgrading of joint sub stations from Kashibilla in Taraba where there is a dam done by the Ministry of Water Resources and a power plant to Yandev in Gboko local government area of Benue State which is 240 double circuit that has been completed and already giving power to Takum, Wukari and its environs.
“The project power is 40 mega watt. There are technical issues we are addressing. Lack of connectivity from Yandev. We have been experiencing loss as the electricity reaches Yandev, the quality is unreliable. It is too low.
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“The phase 2 is over 40% completion and it is going to link Yandev- Makurdi. As well as construction of sub Switching stations in Zaki Biam, Buruku, Aliade and Anyiim.
“We have reached over 40% completion. We are here to ensure quick completion of these project for the benefit of the Benue people and Nightmares at large.”
Receiving the Minister, Governor Samuel Ortom commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving attention to power generation and distribution in the country.
“The Power ministry is committed to execution of projects under their purview. We may not be where we ought to be yet but I can attest to the fact that there is an improvement to what we had seen in the past as far as power generation and distribution is concerned. I commend the President for this.”
He urged the minister to monitor distribution companies and ensure they provided required infrastructures such as transformers to the people rather than concentrate only on issuing arbitrary bills to consumers.
