House to Probe Failure of FG's N3.4bn Solar Power Project

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The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the failure of the federal government N3.4 billion solar-powered grid project in the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).


The House set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the abandonment of the projects by the Federal Ministry of Power since 2018 despite the huge amounts of money expended on it, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.



This followed the adoption of a motion titled: 'Need to Investigate the Failure of the Federal Government N3.4 billion Solar Powered Grid Project in the Six Geo-Political Zones and the FCT’, which was sponsored by Hon. Aniekan Umanah.



Moving the motion, Umanah said the House is aware that the sum of N3.4billion was released in 2014 to fund the pilot projects, where N40.6 billion was earmarked for periodic maintenance in 2015, and another N40.1billion for maintenance of each of the 18 grids.



He recalled that the then Federal Ministry of Power in 2013 rolled out an off grid renewable solar energy project code named Operation Light up Rural Nigeria (OLRN) with a budget of N3.446billion for four years, from 2013-2016.

 

The lawmaker said with the coming of the present administration in 2015, the project was rechristened Renewable Energy (Solar) Micro Utility (REMU) by the then Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and was expanded to provide additional 18 mini grids with three in each geopolitical zone.



Umanah said the sum of N625.5million has been expended on OLRN alone, while N687.9 million has also gone into funding REMU as at 2017, according to budget record.



He lamented that despite the huge investments on the projects, most of them were found, shortly after their inauguration in 2014, not to have been properly implemented while others were in an outright abandonment till date with some of the equipment already vandalised.



The lawmaker said: "The project was targeted at four communities of Durumi-Mpape, Waru, Shape in the FCT as pilot scheme with plans to expand the scope later to other states of the federation.

“Schneider Electric Nigeria Limited was awarded the Durumi grid in the sum of N228.4million in 2014; Lordzetech got Waru grid for N228.4million and also won Shape grid all in the FCT for N218.9millon, according to records at the Bureau of Public Enterprises.



"The sum of N382.6million was fully released in 2015 to fund the 18 mini grids while another N305.3million meant to construct a grid in Pakau, Kaduna State, was also fully released. The overall intention of the government to power up the rural areas in order to create jobs and assist in the springing up of small businesses for the local populace, thereby bringing development closer to the people and checkmating rural-urban migration has been defeated by the inefficient handling of the projects since inception."

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