[size=18pt]FG Sets up C’ttee on Hydroelectric Power[/size]
From Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, 04.29.2010

As part of its strategy to tackle the endemic problems of the power sector, the Federal Ministry of Power yesterday inaugurated a standing committee to work out ways of developing the country's capacity in the hydro energy sector.


A statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Mr. Yakubu Lawal said the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Small and Medium Scale Hydroelectric Power Development in Nigeria” is expected to carry out strategy for the realization of all small and medium capacity hydro power station in the country.
The committee's key assignment is to harness the nation’s water resources to boost power generation for the benefit of Nigerians.


Minister of State for Power Arc. Nuhu Somo Wya while inaugurating the committee yesterday in Abuja charged its members to map out clear cut strategies for harnessing and actualizing the various small and medium level hydro power projects already identified across the country.
Wya said the committee could not have come at a better time than now that Nigeria is facing major challenges in the electricity sector, adding that a lot of these hydro power potentials were identified last year and that the committee should come out with useful recommendations that will help the government realize its implementation.


“We visited different parts of the country and we noticed so many of this hydro electric potentials and we are of the view that if properly harnessed they can provide adequate electricity to their communities /state,” he stated.

“This is a very serious assignment and we will expect you to handle it equally so even if you have to be released from your various department/Ministry in order to face the task squarely .We expect you to come out with credible short term framework in this assignment and at the same time look at the long term objective for the benefit of the country”. The Minister said.


The Minister charge the committee to produce a monthly report to be submitted to him to enable him monitor the level of work and assess their performance stressing that this is necessary in view of the importance attached to the scheme by the Federal government.
According to him, members of the committee were drawn from the Federal Ministries of Power, Water Resources and Environment as well as Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).He stated that the activities of the Hydro-dams should not in any way affect economic activities such as farming and fishing in those areas.


He also charged the committee to look at various funding mechanism for such projects and the need to come up with recommendations that would be useful to the government in developing these projects.
The terms of reference of the committee includes, to identify and select existing dams with potentials for Hydrolectric Power generation in Nigeria, collate and review all available reports ,design and contract documents on the Hydroelectric power components of the dams and to establish the scope of assignment for various project sites.


Other key mandate include, to facilitate the complete handover of power components of the dams to Federal Mnistry of power, follow-up on carbon credit fund that will accrue on the project adn Identity and coordinate other sources of funding for the projects.
The committee is also to develop a project monitoring mechanism that will facilitate smooth execution of the projects.
The chairman of the committee, Engr.F.N.O.Olapade , ( Deputy Director in the Ministry of Power) promised that his team will not fail him adding that everything humanly possible will be done to turn in recommendations that will stand the test of time and on schedule.


Other members of the committee are Engr.A.Adebisi, and Engr.Abu kadiri both of the Federal Ministry of Power, Engr.M.A.Tukur of PHCN, Mr.S.Ome of the Federal Ministry of water Resouces,Mr.A.Sulaiman of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Engr.S.B.Ayangeaor of the Federal Ministry of Power who will serve as secretary.

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