THE Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Alhaji Usman Gur, said on Saturday in Kano that the federal government in collaboration with international donor agencies are committing over $1. 61 billion to ensure a steady and stable power supply in Nigeria.
Gur who spoke to reporters at the Kumbotso Power Sub-station said the project will be carried out under the Transmission Rehabilitation Expansion Programme, adding that, “we are rehabilitating and expanding to degree 20, 000 Mega Watts by 2022 across the country.”
He added that already, the federal government has earmarked about N32 billion to compensate Nigerians whose lands, houses and farms could be affected by the Right-Of-Way to give, create power lines for the execution of the project.
“The total amount that we are going to pay for compensation across the country is about N32 billion. And the total project cost is $1. 61billion. The project will be supported by various international donors,” Gur added.
He further stated that “the compensation for right-of-way from Kumbotso sub-station to Rimi Zagara will cost about N3 billion. We have not completely validated it. The total cost for compensation across the country is N32 billion, and that money is being provided by the federal government.”
Explaining what brought him to Kano, Gur who is also the Chairman of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Committee Executive Board stated that, “we came here because we want to validate and look at the route that ran from this Kumbotso Transmission sub-station to Rimi Zakara.”
“Now, I will also want to tell you that we want to change the game here completely. So, there is a line we are building from Kainji to Birnin Kebbi, Benin Kebbi to Sokoto; and also from Katsina to Daura, Daura to Gwiwa and from Gwiwa to Jogana. That line is also funded by AFD, that is the French Development Agency.
“In fact, the line from Katsina to Daura, Daura to Gwiwa, Gwiwa to Jogana is going to evacuate the Solar IPP in Gwiwa which is going to be the like of the Marrakech Solar IPP in Morocco.
“Now, on that line, the European Union gave us a grant, which is free money for the Nigerian government. That is about 25 million Euros. Now, we are working to close the link between Sokoto to Kaura Namoda, and Kaura Namoda to Katsina. Now, if you complete this line from Kumbotso Sub-station to Rimi Zakara, that line also went to Katsina; which means from Kainji, you can feed Kano through Sokoto, Katsina, Daura and Gwiwa.
“You also have another line that is coming from Kaduna to Kano. Now, I also want to tell you that we sent a proposal to the West African Power Pool, and it was approved by the Committee of Heads of State and Government on the 22 December 2018 where President Muhammadu Buhari chaired that meeting.
“We have approved another line that will come from Calabar. It will come from Ikon to Ogoja, Ogoja to Kasimbula, Kasimbula to Mambilla, Mambilla to Jalingo, Jalingo to Yola, Yola to Hong, Hong to Biu, Biu to Damaturu, Damaturu to Potiskum, Potiskum to Azare, Azare to Dutse, and then Dutse to Jogana.
“This is another 330 Double-sighted line. This very line is under what we call multi-national project. This project is under the ECOWAS project.
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