Gov Zulum Thanks Buhari As NNPC-Funded 50MW Power Plant Construction Begins In Borno

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has expressed thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of commencement of a 50 megawatts gas power plant construction in the state.

Governor Zulum stated that residents had been plunged into 9 months blackout due to the activities of insurgents, noting that the plant would provide alternative power supply to some residents whose businesses depend on power.

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The governor said the construction, which is being funded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), would soon commence.

Zulum spoke on Thursday at a town hall meeting on insurgent attacks on power and telecommunications equipment organized by the Federal ministry of Information and Culture in Maiduguri.

“Let me at this juncture, convey my gratitude to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for his approval of an alternative power supply to Borno State.

“Few days ago, contract for the establishment of thermal electricity plant in Maiduguri was signed by GMD NNPC, Mele Kyari and the contractors. The contractors are expected to resume very soon. 

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“The President has also directed the federal ministry of power to look into the possibility of establishing 150 mega wattso of solar power plant in Borno State,” Zulum was quoted as saying in a statement posted on his Facebook page

‘Buhari Not Borrowing To Pay Salaries’

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had said during the event that the Buhari administration was not taking loans to pay salaries.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed

“Naysayers have recently ramped up their criticism of the Buhari administration for borrowing. These critics are insincere. We are not borrowing for recurrent expenditure or to pay salaries,” he said.

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“We are borrowing to build world class infrastructure that will benefit generations of Nigerians. We have a lot to show for the loans we have taken.

“There is a road project in every state. Today, we have started the countdown to when the second Niger bridge, which successive administrations have built only on paper, will be completed.

“The list of projects we are handling with the loans we obtained is long.”

Mohammed said the destruction of public infrastructure “is worse than we had imagined”.

His words: “For example, we were told that it would cost the federal government N3.8 billion to repair just four bridges that were damaged by vandals and petrol-laden tankers.

“That’s a huge amount that could have been used to build new infrastructure. It is common knowledge that massive infrastructure deficit is among the challenges we face in Nigeria.

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“This is why the Muhammadu Buhari administration has deliberately adopted an inclusive infrastructure provisioning framework that spreads to all sections of the country.

“Despite a drastic drop in revenues and competing priorities, especially that of battling insecurity, the federal government has invested heavily in providing new infrastructure, as well as reconstructing and rehabilitating existing ones.”

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