Abuja | Thursday
THE Nigerian government on Wednesday approved more than $237-million worth of new power transmission projects, the information minister announced.
Information Minister Jerry Gana told journalists the projects would improve power supply across the country. The projects will enhance the existing 330 KW and 132 KW networks of the national grid, an official document said.
The German engineering firm Siemens was among the contractors approved for the projects. Nigeria’s state-run electric company, Nepa, has been unable to meet basic demands, with shutdowns occurring daily and many areas experiencing power cuts for weeks.
President Olusegun Obasanjo last year ordered Nepa to strengthen its system and double power output to around 4 000 megawatts by the end of this year.
The government has sent a bill to parliament to break up the company into power generation, transmission and distribution entities to improve efficiency.
Critics derisively call Nepa “Never Expect Power Always.” – AFP