ABUJA/Nigeria: In a compelling session at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, attention was drawn to the desolate state of Phase 2 of the NNPC-NAOC Joint Venture Okpai Independent Power Plant (IPP) project. The Member representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, brought forth a motion shedding light on the troubling abandonment of the project, which had attained approximately 90% completion.
According to Hon. Ezechi, the project, greenlit by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and initiated in November 2017, was left in disarray by the contractors, Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited (SCNL) and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
The distressing scene at the project site, where millions of dollars worth of equipment and turbines now lay idle, concealed beneath rampant vegetation, was vividly described by Hon. Ezechi.
Moreover, he underscored that beyond the financial implications of the abandonment, estimated at over $38.7 billion, the halt in progress posed a significant setback to the nation’s quest for enhanced electricity generation, a critical component for developmental strides.
In light of these concerns, Hon. Ezechi expressed apprehension over the apparent opacity surrounding the project’s contract sum, raising pertinent questions about accountability and the integrity of the project’s execution.
Responding decisively, the House unanimously endorsed the motion and directed its Committee on Power to initiate a thorough investigation into the project’s funding and the conduct of the contractors, including both NAOC and SCNL.
The Committee’s mandate extends to identifying the underlying impediments that led to the project’s abandonment, with a directive to furnish the House with a comprehensive report within a span of four weeks.
