Date: 2009-07-27

SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, DR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE GANMO POWER SUB-STATION, KWARA STATE, BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, UMAR MUSA YAR’ADUA ON MONDAY 27TH JULY, 2009.

Courtesies,

Permit me to start by congratulating Mr. President for the commissioning of this project. Of all the States of the Federation where Federal Government embarked on NIPP programme, this one being commissioned here today is the first to be completed and put to effective use.

Mr. President, your personal presence here today demonstrates the importance your administration attaches to power in general and NIPP projects in particular. I seize this opportunity to express the profound appreciation of the good people of Kwara State to His Excellency. Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his understanding and standing by the Kwara State Government in completing this project.

Today’s programme marks a milestone in the history of this State. My joy essentially derives from the fact that the commissioning of today’s 330/132/33KV Power Sub-Station situated here in Ganmo has at last become a reality.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this project was conceived about 26 years ago. However, it began to see the light of the day in February 2006 when it was awarded by the Federal Government under the NIPP programme. It consists of 2x150MVA 330/132/KVA transformers; 2x60MVA 132/33KVA transformer with associated 12km 330kVDC transmission line and 2KM 132KVDC transmission line.

The initial project cost was N4.5billion with both on-shore and off-shore components. All the off-shore components were funded, leaving the on-shore components unattended to. All efforts towards federal funding for the on-shore components proved abortive. When it was apparent that the project would be abandoned, my administration decided to take the bull by the horn by taking-over the completion of the project, not minding the huge cost.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the issue of power in the country has been an epileptic one. In Kwara State, it was an unrelenting anguish for 26 years. However, from February 26 this year, when this station was energized, the State has put behind it forever the days of searing heat and nights of darkness. Since then, power supply in our State, which used to be from 30-40 megawatts a day, a typical scenario for most parts of Nigeria, has improved dramatically to 80-90 megawatts a day. This has resulted into an average of 18 to 24-hour electricity supply to industrial and most residential areas.

We are delighted to receive reports from private companies, federal establishments such as universities and other enterprises that their expenditure on diesel has gone down by between 80% and 90% monthly. The savings to these existing corporations have been calculated at about N200 million monthly, or N2.5billion per annum. This is apart from providing incentive to those of our citizens who are skilled to go back to their primary trades and crafts. These are people who before now were chasing shadows of unavailable jobs or engaged in non-productive or anti-social activities. For our State, this project has become one of the fastest growth drivers in industrial expansion and consequently becoming a catalyst for employment generation.

This is a major platform for wooing investors to come to Kwara State and invest in a power-steady environment.

To ensure stability at least for the next 20 years, and to maintain the leverage that the State currently enjoys, the State Government has begun to invest on transmission and distribution program. Contracts have been awarded for supply and installation of six (6) 15MWA 33/11KV transformers at the cost of N1billion. The contractors are already mobilized to sites and they have been working hard to meet the September 2009 deadline.

Ladies and Gentlemen, evacuation of power from Ganmo sub-station is not restricted to existing lines in the State capital alone; it has been extended to South Senatorial area of the State.

However, since power is essential in stimulating all sectors of the economy, my administration is not to rest if this success story of power enhancement has not reached the commercial agricultural hub of our state in Kwara North Senatorial district. Mr. President is aware that the New Nigeria Farmers are domiciled at Shonga, along with the largest areas of rice cultivation, new processing factories for rice and cassava, dairy and poultry factories, large-scale irrigation work, fertilizer plant. These establishments all derive their power from Jebba through 33KV line. This line, which passes through Jebba, Bacita, Bode Saadu, Share Gbugbu, and then to Lafiagi and Patigi, with several T-offs along the line, is one of the longest 33KV networks in PHCN system.

The long distances have resulted in very poor quality of supply. Our provision of a 15MVA Transformer Station is not being enjoyed because of the congested feeder that serves the Station from Jebba.

To improve power supply in this agro-allied industrial area, there has to be reinforcement at 132KV. This we plan to do from the Ganmo sub-station.

At this juncture, may I appeal to Mr. President to consider including this significant project among the power projects of the Federal Government for the 2010 financial year. This will complement significantly.

I hereby reiterate that my Government will continue to align with the programmes and policies of your administration.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to thank you all for the positive contributions towards making today’s historic event of Federal/State collaboration in transforming the power sector possible.

I therefore have the honour and privilege of inviting the nation’s first citizen, His Excellency, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua to perform the official commissioning of Ganmo Electricity Sub-Station and its associated lines.

Your Excellency, Sir.