About 45 years after the Federal Government conceived theidea of Mambilla hydro power plant, Nigerians are grumbling in disappointment
that the $5.7 billion 3,050 Mega Watts electricity project which has gulpedseveral billions of naira was still at its teething stage.The initiative, which was first mooted in 1972, was aimed atincreasing the country’s power generation to boost industralisation, especiallyin the northern part of the country.
However , since 1972, successive governments have madebudgetary provisions for the take-off of the project without wheeling out asingle mega watt of electricity generation.
It could be recalled that Babatunde Fashola mentioning theproject of Mambilla HydroPower Plant will soon be completed. But, recently thenewly sworn-in minister of Power has said that even the site clearance is notyet started. who is playing who?
I am before thinking that Fashola is among that educationalpoliticians with verse of experience inadministrative as well as leadership that if opportunity is given to them, theywill bring development regardless of any differences. But, that senario hasmake me think otherwise.
The reader is aware that The Nigerian National PetroleumCorporation on Friday announced the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in theKolmani River II Well on the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin, in theNorth-Eastern part of the country.
Recall that drilling of the Kolmani River II Well wasinaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 2, 2019.
But, What we want to notice is that now the oil isdiscovered and one well is ready to drill. But, do we know that beforeexploring we need one of the two either; closed refinery to the which is Kadunarefinery if working or Pipeline system to Lagos.
I would like the reader to estimate how many years shouldproject of pipeline transport from Gombe to Lagos takes? Let He assumed 4years.
It’s commendable to President Muhammadu Buhari for checkingand balance his project and Continuing with many projects from previousadministration such as; 2nd Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kaduna railway, Port Harcourtto Maiduguri, among others.
If we can study the problem of our country and what makesforeign investors afraid of investing in Nigeria is lack of continuity afterchange in Government.
As a young person, I start doubting if someone from othergeo-political region will not abandon this project of oil drilling atGombe/Bauchi.
We the people of northeast has to start thinking of what isthe way out. We should not forget to refer to the previous transition from 1999to 2015 same party without continuity.
*Khalid Kumo writes from Gombe*
