The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday said that work would begin this year on the 40 megawatts Kashimbila Hydro Power Plant in Taraba.
Fashola said this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri after a tour of projects in the North East.
He said government was equally making efforts to complete the Mambilla Power Station, also in Taraba.
“As for the Mambilla plant, the contractor is back to site after he was mobilised.
“But he has lots of challenges; he has to open letter of credit and import equipment, among other things.
“For Kashimbilla project, we have made progress in terms of project planning.
“We are in the final stage of pricing and we expect that we will start work this year,’’ Fashola said.
According to him, preparatory work is going on and the ministry is considering the best route to move the equipment to site.
“This is part of project planning that makes for efficient project execution,’’ the minister said.
Fashola said that estate valuers had been engaged to prepare ground for easy compensation of the natives.
“We already have estate valuers who are valuing the whole site where the plant will be constructed so that when compensation is paid, there will be no problem when work construction begins.
“Zungeru project had problems relating to compensation as no prior work was done like this one,’’ Fashola said.
He lauded the National Assembly for its planned amendment of the Procurement Act to provide for more mobilisation fee to contractors, especially those handling road projects.
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