The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated the 2x60MVA, 132/33KV Awka Substation in Anambra State, built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC).
At the ceremony, Prof. Osinbajo reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to continue to create enabling environment for businesses to grow in the country.
He noted that for Nigeria’s economy to grow at the required rate, small businesses have to be supported by both the Federal and State governments.
Prof Osinbajo disclosed that the new substation, built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, NDPHC, would deliver about 100 Mega Watts of power to the Anambra state capital and its environs.
He pointed out that “the economy of Nigeria largely depends on the effort that is made at the sub-national level, that’s the state level. It is the aggregation of the work that is done in the states that leads to the great economy that we hope for and are working for in this nation of ours.
“Anambra State revenue has increased from about N10.4 billion in 2014 to N26.37 billion as 2019 and this is another 152 percent increase in the state’s IGR”.
He stated that the “enabling environment and ease of doing business measures that have been implemented in Anambra state has seen it become one of the fastest-growing manufacturing hubs in the country. Nnewi which houses key local manufacturing companies including Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing, Tommy Tommy Industries, Chikason Group amongst others is evidence of the entrepreneurial ability of the Nigerian people and the drive that is possible but also importantly the enabling environment that states can create”.
Vice President Osinbajo who is also the Chairman of NDPHC Board, emphasized that the way the economy will develop is through small businesses powered by states and assisted by as much as possible Federal Government.
While pointing out that the industrial growth of the state happened despite power supply challenge, noted that the new substation was a direct measure by the government to address the challenge.
According to him, “Since the technical commissioning of the substation in November 2020, this new substation has been in service providing 33KV evacuation capacity for at least 100MW of power through its two units of 60MVA, a total of 120MVA.
“The commitment of the administration to ensuring the completion of the Awka NIPP 132KVA grid substation now provides a hitherto unavailable 70MW additional power capacity for driving industrial growth and boosting the economy of the state with a positive knock-on effect on employment and social-economic upliftment for residents of the state”
The Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano thanked the Federal Government and the NDPHC for constructing the substation, saying it will greatly boost the industrialization of the state.
Chief Obiano noted that with the improved power supply to the state, many industries would save the cost of self-generation of electricity.
He stated that the newly commissioned shoe-making factory and the cargo airport would be direct beneficiaries of the new substation.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo disclosed that besides the industries, about a million households in Awka and its environs will benefit from the improved power supply.
He explained that the project is one of the several transmission projects conceived under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) being implemented by NDPHC as part of the effort of the government of the Federation towards improving electricity transmission infrastructure in the country.
He explained that “the Substation is provided with six 33kV feeders to enable robust power evacuation to the following hitherto constrained locations of the EEDC Franchise territory of Anambra State, including two premium new locations critical to the Anambra State Government:
“The Awka Township 33/11kV Injection Substation; the Agu Awka 2unit 15MVA 33/11kV Injection Substation serving the nearby Agu Awka Industrial Layout; the Enugu-Ukwu 33/11kV Injection Substation; the Aguleri/Umuleri 33/11kV Injection Substation; the New Anambra Airport; and the New Awka Millennium City”
He disclosed that the company has recently completed a 32Km of line with one unit of 2.5MVA and injection substation to the new airport in the state.
“The feeder from this Awka transmission substation will be supplying close to one million households spread over the urban and rural parts of this state including existing and upcoming industrial layouts, factories, markets and other critical state infrastructures” he added
On her part, the Managing Director of News Engineering, the EPC contractor, Josephine Nwaeze disclosed the project executed solely by Nigerians.
She called on the Federal Government to make more projects available to indigenous companies to grow the economy.
RN