Former Head of State and leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has laid the foundation for the construction of over N4.2 billion Tiga hydro electricity Power station in Kano, northwest Nigeria.
Kano state Governor, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso who initiated the project said it is expected to be completed in January 2015.
According to Kwankwaso, the second Independent Power Project at Challawa Gorge dam, which will gulp N10 billion, will be completed in March, 2015.
“Both projects, with a total capacity of 35 megawatts of electricity, are being financed 100 percent by the state government without obtaining any loan and are being executed by Skipper T & D, a subsidiary of Skipper Group of India,” Kwankwaso said.
“Kano state, the famous commercial center of Northern Nigeria, like many states in the country faces inadequate power supply, forcing public agencies, industries and private residences to depend largely on diesel-powered generators.”
Governor Kwankaso said the two Kano power projects put together are the biggest in Northern Nigeria and the most capital intensive project to be embarked upon by his administration.
“10 megawatts of electricity will be produced from Tiga while 25 megawatts is expected from Challawa. If this project had been executed since the 1970’s, only God knows how many people would have benefitted from it by now,” he stated.
Governor Kwankwaso stated that significant progress has been achieved in producing turbines for the projects in India, explaining that the on completion, explaining that the power generated would be used to service Tamburawa and Challawa water works, street lights and as well as the ailing manufacturing sector in the state.
Showering praises to Kwankwaso, Buhari said: “These are the type of projects we want. Our major problem is with the collapse of infrastructure mainly that of power which affects employment and, therefore, industries and goods and services can only be appreciated by people like Governor Kwankwaso, who is so committed to serve the people and the country.
“If you want to know how your government’s performance during this democratic dispensation from 1999 to date, it is through the position of infrastructure in your environment – from local government to the state and government at the centre.
“What it was then, what it is now and how much money has changed hands and then you will appreciate how much the governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso has done to Nigeria and Kano state.
“Honestly, a number of us who know Kano before, by its culture we are amazed how the governor is managing the resources. We have seen what he has done in three years on the ground in terms of infrastructure and more importantly on education.”
Giving a brief technical report on the project, the President, Nigeria Society of Engineers, Engr. Balarabe Shehu observed that although Tiga and Challawa dams were designed and constructed for multi purposes, the power projects will in no way reduce the discharge of water used for domestic water supply and irrigation purposes.
In his remarks, the Joint Group President, Skipper T & D, Mr. Pankaj Sachdeva said his company said the company has successfully executed several power projects spread across Nigeria and is ready to deliver the Kano projects efficiently.
via nigerianeye
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