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Hon. Ndudi Elumelu
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Former Chairman, House
Committee on Power in 2007, in the 6th House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu,
yesterday, said powerful Nigerians from all walks of life killed the power
sector. Elumelu,
who disclosed this yesterday in a reaction to the on-going Senate probe of the
sector, said: “For now, I won’t mention names, but the truth is that most
Nigerians that we respect because of what they have attained in life destroyed
the power sector.”
According
to Elumelu, the power sector had been used by cabals in connivance with
government officials to bleed the nation to near-death, adding that “a
situation where government would spend US$1.545 billion on nine gas turbines,
when 18 of same equipment were bought for US$404 million within a short period
was evil and a rape of the nation’s economy.
Vanguard report continues:
Inflated
“From
Kubwa to Katampe sub-station in Abuja, there’s a transmission line. When we
checked the cost of the line, we found that it was over-inflated. Then another
mind-boggling discovery was made where 18 turbines were procured for US$404
million from General Electric.
“Then
when additional nine turbines were needed, they now spent US$1.545 billion on
them.
“The
excuse they gave for such an unpardonable sin was that an African country had
paid earlier for the nine turbines hence the astronomical increase of over
$600m.
“This
is just one of so many terrible sins committed by our powerful men in high
places.
“Power
sector probe requires lots of commitment and dedication for one to get out of
it unhurt. So I am happy that the Senate came up again with it because it is
quite disheartening to see that with what has been expended on the sector, we
are still battling to generate just about 3,500 Megawatts of electricity.
The Brazil example
“In
the course of doing our investigation, we travelled to Brazil for a comparative
assessment of public investment in electricity and we found out that what they
spent to achieve stable electricity was far less than what we had spent, but
had nothing to show for.
“In
Brazil, Geometric Power told me that they spent US$12 billion to generate
12,000 Megawatts and it is working very well. At that time Nigerian government
had already spent close to US$16 billion to generate between 2,500 to 3,000
Megawatts of electricity.”
The
lawmaker also explained how unregistered companies were awarded contracts and
never showed up at contract sites.
He
said: “The Special Assistant to former Minister of Power, late Dr Segun Agagu,
swore to an affidavit with names of such companies that were awarded contracts.
All these vital documents including that of the Auditor General are still
intact.”
On
why former President Olusegun Obasanjo was invited by his committee, Elumelu
said: “All we wanted to do then was for him to confirm to us what was approved
for the power sector.
“All
the documents were counter-signed by the former President, who approved most of
the contracts and people then said our action was unparliamentary because he
was invited.
“The
former President used to say ‘hold me responsible for all the actions of my
ministers’. In this case, we felt he was in the right position to tell us those
who did what and how his administration was involved.”
Tasks c’ttee
The
former lawmaker also advised members of the Senate ad hoc committee probing the
nation’s power sector to shun ethnic and geopolitical consideration and put
Nigeria first if the exercise must yield desired results that will benefit the
country.
He
also urged the Senate to do more by going in-depth in their probe even as he
expressed fear that those responsible for the helpless situation the nation’s
power sector found itself will not rest, but will try to plant their agents in
the committee for the purpose of sabotaging the exercise.
He
said: “What they have set out to do is very commendable given the anti-corruption
drive of the current administration, but don’t be surprised if you also find
out that some of the people on the committee are even sponsored by these
powerful people. So it is a highly organized cabal which runs these things.”
He assured that he would be
available to make a presentation before the probe panel if a well-publicized
platform is made available at the public hearing.
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