The Federal Government has said a new transmission infrastructure in the North Central region of the country will boost economic activities in the country.
The facility, located in Lafia, Nasarawa state is a 2X150 MVA & 2X60 /132/33/330 KV Transmission Substation. The project was constructed by Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC).
The NDPHC, in a release, noted that President Muhamadu Buhari has already been scheduled for the commissioning of the project tomorrow (Thursday).
Speaking during a pre-commissioning inspection to the substation by the Executive Director, Networks, NDPHC Limited, IfeOluwa Oyedele and his team, Governor of the state, Abdullahi Sule, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, said the move would boost economic activities in the state.
“We know that electricity is life,” Sule said, adding, “You need energy in any society for so many things particularly for economic growth and good living so, we are not taking this project for granted.
“Gone are the days when Lafia will be in darkness for more than one week at a stretch and when there is, it won’t be brighter than a candlelight. An opportunity came for us to grab this and all efforts were put in place.
“We must thank President Muhammadu Buhari, the management and staff of NDPHC, and all those that were involved in the execution of this project for approving this for us and making sure that this was professionally executed,” he stated.
Sule noted that the move would improve the economy of Nasarawa State, helping small, medium, and micro enterprises to thrive.
“Imagine how much it costs the small barber, the lady running a beauty salon having to use generators to run their businesses and now they have electricity from the government,” Sule noted.
Oyedele had commended the Governor and his predecessor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura for their doggedness in the pursuit for the development of their State.
He said, although the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), Lafia Substation was funded by the Federation, it was important to emphasise the contributions of Sule and his predecessor.
He stressed on the need to reduce unemployment to the barest minimum and make sure that the country increases productivity of our people. We cannot increase productivity through inadequate power supply.
“I am sure that in another one year, when the National Bureau of Statistics releases GDP figures, the contributions of Nasarawa State will be markedly different from what it was before the coming into operation of this substation.
“The Lafia Transmission Substation is equipped with state-of-the-art digital control and protection facilities with fully functional Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) that enhances real-time operational flexibility, monitoring and control of all the Substation electrical variables. It has the capacity to deliver and meet 240MW of load demand and will enhance and guarantee an uninterrupted power supply to Nasarawa and its immediate surrounding states. The project will also help to provide back feed to the FCT, whenever necessary since FCT is being served from Shiroro and Geregu Power Stations,” he said.
