The Nigerian House of Representatives, on Tuesday, passed a resolution to stop the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) from moving equipment meant for construction of Anyigba Transmission Substation (ATS) to Lagos, for lack of safety.
DAILY POST recalls that, the contract for construction of ATS was awarded in 2007 but work at the site was abandoned due to the demise of the contractor. Neither the federal government, nor the TCN has done anything about it since then.
However, the project has been captured in the 2018 budget proposal currently before the National Assembly.
Leading the debate on the motion he personally sponsored on Tuesday, member representing Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala federal constituency, Hon. Hassan Omale, said, “the TCN is contemplating moving the equipment at the site to its Head Office in Lagos for safe keep”.
Omale argued that, “it will cost the Transmission Company of Nigeria more to transport the equipment to Lagos and back when the project takes off than to pay security personnel to watch over the equipment at the Anyigba site”.
The House therefore, became worried that, “if the equipment at the Anyigba Transmission Substation was taken out of the site to the TCN headquarters in Lagos as proposed, the equipment may not return”.
The Reps unanimously acknowledged the strategic importance of the Anyigba substation in evacuating power generation by the Mambila Power Plan when completed, thereby lauding the TCN’s expansion plan to upgrade it to a 330/132 KVA substation.
The lawmakers therefore urged the TCN to employ the services of capable security outfit to keep watch on the site and expedite action on returning to the site.
The House also mandated its committee on Power to liaise with the Minister of Power, Works and Housing to ensure the immediate takeoff of the project and report back to the House in four weeks, for further legislative action.
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