Engineers visit Mambilla hydro-power project

No fewer than 40 Chinese engineers last week visited the Mambilla Hydro project located at Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna local council area of Taraba state for a feasibility study.

The visit to the 3050 megawatts project site, the state governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, an architect , said was to enable the Chinese engineers familiarize themselves with the terrains.

Governor Ishaku, who spoke through his Senior Assistant on Media and Publicity Matters, Sylvanus Gina, however, warned persons who often take pleasure in selling or leasing out lands where the project is billed to be sited to seek alternative means of livelihood as the state government would not hesitate to bring to book persons caught indulging in such acts.

He reiterated the state’s readiness to compensate owners of the land, but observed that it would be difficult should people continue to sell out the land.

“Relevant measures to ensure that owners of the said land are adequately compensated, he said, have been put in place by the government .”

The governor, who also promised to assist the Federal government actualize its dreams of making the project a reality, admonished the people of the state to reciprocate the gesture by eschewing vices that would compel the central government to change its mind.

For the speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Peter Abel Diah, the visit was a welcome development, hence the need for the people to co-operate with government at all levels.

Stressing that the project is long overdue, he pleaded with the federal government, to ensure adequate supervision as soon as the project commenced.

He also promised on behalf of the state’s House of Assembly to work with the executive arm of the government to facilitate the commencement of the project.

The project, which is estimated to cost over N600 billion would on completion reduce the erratic power problem being experienced in the country.

It will also increase the revenue base of both the state and federal governments, provide jobs for the teeming population as well as boost irrigation farming.

Apart from the project, the Federal government is also executing the Kashimbila Dam located in Takum local council area of the state.