By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Power has commended the leadership of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) for accelerating work on the long-delayed 570 Megawatts Alaoji Combined Cycle Power Plant following an inspection tour of the project in Abia State.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Victor Nwokolo, who led members on the oversight visit praised the proactive approach of the Managing Director/CEO of NDPHC, Engr Jennifer Adighije, noting that the management had made significant progress in resolving logistical bottlenecks that had stalled the project for years.
Speaking after inspecting facilities at the power plant, Nwokolo said the committee observed tangible efforts by the company to recover critical equipment and reposition the project for completion.
“Let me start by commending the MD for being proactive. You were with us during our tour of the installation and we have seen a lot of containers recovered, over a hundred containers. That shows extra effort is being put into the system. That is why I am commending her and the present leadership of NDPHC,” he said.
He added that the committee had been briefed by the contractor and consultants that substantial equipment purchases had already been made.
“Of course, in the power sector it takes years for equipment to be manufactured,” he said.
The lawmaker noted that many infrastructure projects across the power sector had been hampered by delays in clearing imported equipment from Nigerian seaports, particularly those belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to him, the situation appeared different in the case of the NDPHC project.
He said, “Today, one of the problems we are having with TCN is that virtually all their imports are being held in the seaports. But here, it is a different story from what it used to be. That is why I am commending the present leadership of NDPHC.”
He added that the committee had directed the contractor handling the project to provide NDPHC management with full visibility of equipment purchases and manufacturing progress to prevent further delays.
“We have asked that management be kept fully informed by the contractor on the purchases they have made so that their team can conduct on-the-spot assessments of the equipment,” he said.
Nwokolo warned that waiting until equipment manufacturing is completed before inspection could further delay the project, adding, “waiting until this is completed will cause more delay in the project. That is why we want management to follow up closely.”
The committee also urged contractors to accelerate external works, particularly ahead of the rainy season.
“We have asked them to improve on their progress, particularly the external works, because by the time the rains start it will be difficult to work. They have assured us that the piling works will be completed in no distant time,” he added.
While acknowledging visible progress under the current management, Nwokolo stressed that Nigerians ultimately expect the project to translate into reliable electricity supply.
According to him, “If you know the history of this project, it has taken over 20 years. That shows that the present management is living up to expectations. But Nigerians want to see the physical light”.
He stressed that improved electricity supply to Aba, one of Nigeria’s major manufacturing and commercial centres, would significantly boost employment and economic productivity.
“Aba is a place where you have a lot of self-employment and many businesses that need power. By the time this place is completed, the issue of unemployment will be greatly addressed, not just in this region but across Nigeria,” he said.
“When you go to Aba now, there is no part of Nigeria that is not represented there. People come from everywhere to do business.”
He emphasised that electricity access must be viewed as a key driver of economic growth, emphasizing that “We are not talking about having light just to sleep. We are talking about having light to work and generate income. That is what the common man wants to see”.
Responding to questions on whether the committee was impressed by the progress recorded so far, Nwokolo acknowledged visible improvements.
“The managing director said that when she came on board the project was just slightly above one per cent, and now it is about 16 per cent. From the works they showed us, it is clear there has been significant improvement,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the committee’s oversight visit would further accelerate progress.
“With our visit and continued engagement with the contractor, we expect that the pace of work will improve even more,” he added.
Earlier, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC, Engr Adighije told lawmakers that the company had taken steps to address previous delays and place the project on a clear recovery trajectory.
She explained that management had compelled the contractor to submit a revised recovery plan to ensure timely completion of the project.
“Previously we experienced some slippages, and we had to compel the contractor to come up with a recovery plan, which they have now done,” Adighije said.
According to her, the initial completion target had to be adjusted following the revised work schedule.
“Initially we had envisaged that the project would be completed by the end of this year, but clearly that is not possible. With the revised schedule, we are now working towards completion by the third quarter of 2027,” she said.
Adighije, who took lawmakers on a tour of the project alongside the Executive Director, Generation, Engr Abdullahi Kassim, and Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, assured the committee that NDPHC remained committed to providing both technical and financial support to ensure the project progressed without further setbacks.
“We are prepared as management to provide all the necessary support in terms of engineering, and we have been doing that. That is why we are gaining traction,” she said.
“In terms of finances, we ensure that we meet our obligations to the contractor. We are not owing the contractor, so there is absolutely no reason to envisage any slippages for now.”
She also commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the Power Sector Refinancing Plan, which she said would improve liquidity in the electricity market and enable completion of ongoing projects.
“We want to thank Mr President for graciously approving the Power Sector Refinancing Plan because with improved liquidity we can make future investments in ongoing projects,” she said.
Adighije reaffirmed NDPHC’s commitment to supporting the federal government’s goal of expanding electricity access nationwide, pledging that “we will ensure that the vision of Mr President to achieve electricity access for all Nigerians is realised”.