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Delta lawmakers under pressure to stop IPP probe

By Hendrix Oliomogbe
28 March 2016   |   4:09 am
There are strong indications that the five-member Delta State House of Assembly committee investigating the N23.2 billion Delta State Independent Power Plant...

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There are strong indications that the five-member Delta State House of Assembly committee investigating the N23.2 billion Delta State Independent Power Plant (1PP) project at Oghara, Ethiope West Local Council area, may have abandoned the probe midway into the exercise, due to pressure from top politicians.

A lawmaker, who pleaded anonymity, explained that they decided to abandon the probe, because of the numerous political heavyweights involved, in what is gradually turning out to be a very big scam.

He said: “When we went to Oghara, we were amazed at the level of rot, but mid-way into the probe, we discovered that so many top politicians in the state were involved. We were subjected to too much pressure from big quarters, and had no choice, but to abandon the probe because of the people involved.”

This inaction, especially against the backdrop of the committee’s promise to conclude its report within one month, has further confirmed the speculations. Also the expectations that violators of the terms of contract would face the wrath seem to have simmered down.

The lawmaker disclosed that the committee was amazed to discover that there was nothing on ground to show for the huge sum of money expended on the project, except for the access road to the site.

It would be recalled that over N19 billion reportedly went into the project after almost seven years of construction work, a situation which compelled the lawmakers to have vowed to probe all the parties involved, in order to ensure its completion for the benefit of the people.

The IPP project, which was awarded by the erstwhile governor of the state, Emmanuel Uduanghan in June 2009, was designed to generate 128 megawatts of electricity.

Majority Leader of the House, Tim Owefere, who led the team to the inspection, was equivocal when he said that, it was very clear that there was nothing on ground to show for the huge sum of money appropriated for the

“I am sure that even blind people who managed to find
their way will know that nothing has been done here. Maybe the contractor will be able to convince us otherwise,” he said.

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