USAMA A. DANDARE
osadaby@yahoo.com
@osadaby
It is over forty-five years after the end of the bloody Nigerian civil war in which government troops fought and defeated Biafran secessionists, the ghost of Biafra has not been laid to rest and the dream of an independent South-East has not completely died. Several Ndigbo whom were awash with political sentiment, religious intolerance, ethnicity and ignorance are still dreaming of a possible break-up from Nigeria.
Never in the history of this nation when the entire people of Eastern Nigeria unanimously reached a consensus to go for independence and part ways with Nigeria. All we've been witnessing was a movement of some few greedy political and military nuisance from the Eastern part of Nigeria who sought to take advantage of the shift in the base of nation's new found wealth, from the export agriculture to the emerging oil economy. These same elite, once they realized that they could still partake in the sharing of the oil revenues equally with the political elite from the rest of the country, they sought accommodation within one Nigeria.
But the ideological manipulation anchored on the cries of marginalization still remains a potent tool for elite bargaining and sometimes blackmail within the context of regional distribution of resources and elite accumulation.
All the major regions of Nigeria have something they hold outside the desire to be in one Nigeria, as a bargaining chip once they perceive some unevenness in the distribution of prebends. Which is why every part of Nigeria has its own story of marginalization, etc, vis-a-vis the other parts. What these greedy elites normally do whenever government fails to satisfy their greed, was to capitalize on the gullibility of some few ignoramus and ethnic bigots to get cheap attention or endorsement and create an avenue of wealth accumulation, just like the way Niger Delta Militants and OPC have had theirs. This is exactly what Nnamdi Kanu of Radio-Biafra is upto, far away from London.
Radio Biafra - an online seditious pirate radio station broadcasting illegally from London - have been heating up the polity with inflammatory and unsavoury hate messages in recent time, since PDP's monumental defeat in the March 28 presidential polls to be precise. The illegal radio station under the leadership of one Nnamdi Kanu preaches nothing but ethnic jingoism and hatred designed to create disunity among Nigerians and mislead Igbo youths in a deliberate act of subversion, to undermine the sovereignty of the federal republic. But to my ultimate trepidation, the same political elite from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria that were very venomous in attacking the North and its leaders for not loudly condemning the activities of Boko Haram insurgents and mobilizing to stop them on their tracks, are surprisingly dead silent in relation to the activities of Radio Biafra and sundry Biafran "activists" at home and abroad.
This is quite strange, chiefly because the kind of hate speech and "weaponisation" of the airwaves associated with this latter day Biafra agitation is potentially even more lethal than Boko Haram insurgency, if the experience of countries like Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia is anything to go by. (Apologies to Dr. Yakub Aliyu)
Obviously, the international statutes has guaranteed the right to self-determination but there is a process- a peaceful one of course. Analogously, the Nigerian Constitution duly protects the right of citizens to self expression by all and sundry. Yet, such rights are never open-ended on issues of peaceful co-existence or when the touch on national security. The same international statutes and the Nigerian constitution also kick-against anything that could trigger conflicts with potential for violent disruption of civic life.
It is time for the political, religious and economic elite from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria to come forward with a stand on this very obvious menace called Radio Biafra. Is either they publicly condemn Radio Biafra or they will be considered co-conspirators. It is necessary because that would assure Nigeria, Africa and the world that what is going on is just the ranting of some scrupulous elements. They should up the game, learn the necessary lessons, and do better than their Northern counterpart that they have so maligned on account of Boko Haram, realizing also that it was our inability to nip Boko Haram extremists on time that led us to this mess we are in. They should bear in mind that Boko Haram is a relatively isolated case when compared with this brazen affront on the entire Nigerian nation. Their intervention will save us a lot from the distractions and the stress of direct confrontation with the state which as the Boko Haram is inevitable with all the accompanying bitter consequences for the rest of us, peace loving Nigerians.
The people of the South-East fought a war of self-determination between 1967-1970 and lost, thus leading to the death of about one million innocent citizens and perhaps properties worth billions of Dollars, which was indeed a huge price for the unity of this country. Having paid this monumental supreme price, I think the so-called Biafrans should agitate for the unity of this country on the basis of social justice, equity and fair play, to avoid a repeat of another bloody war for their own good.
The reality is that those from the Eastern part are all over Nigeria; in fact it is rare to find a community across the length and breadth of this country that does not shelter people from the South-East; Nigeria provides a conducive atmosphere for people from the Eastern part (Igbo precisely) to scope their branches, explore, excel and blossom. The South-East is too small for this highly mobile and dynamic people to pursue their commercial activities.
It's on record that the Ndigbo control about 60% to 70% of all the imports in Nigeria while other tribes in the country provide the huge market for the mobile Igbos and big time traders. If their dream of an independent Biafra come alive, who will constitute the chunk of consumers to patronize their commodities?
The bitter truth is that Radio Biafra decided to ratchet up its war propagandas and source huge sums of funds to do just that only after the so-called pro-Igbo Goodluck Jonathan was flushed out of power. This throws up a lot of questions, such as; why such agitation completely quenched during Jonathan regime and suddenly came to live after Jonathan? Does Radio Biafra’s current villainy and demonic activities have anything to do with PDP’s almighty failure? Is it another political tactic that seeks to gain relevance from threatening the peace and security of the nation?
On the other hand, the federal government should as a matter of urgency discuss and promptly address some pressing issues affecting the livelihood of the people of South-East like; infrastructure, farming, industrialization, education, employment and more importantly provide a conducive atmosphere for business opportunities and growth. But ignoring the South-Eastern region similar to what we witnessed during Goodluck Jonathan's reign of impunity will absolutely birth another serious security challenges in a more violent nature. The federal government should systematically device a holistic approach to get hold of Nnamdi Kanu and force him to pay severely for his stupidity, arrogance and immorality. "Radio Biafra is the opportunistic lizard that takes advantage of the crack in the wall to enter one’s house. Killing the lizard will not stop other Lizards from getting into the house; mending the cracked wall will."
If anyone come shouting Biafra, let that person avail us with the consensus reached by the entire people of Eastern Nigeria that they should break away from Nigeria. And how they intended to go about it. If there was no empirical evidence to that effect then forget about freedom of expression or Human rights, that person is simply a trouble maker, wanting to reap where he did not sow.
Almost all the Igbo youths of today were not born to witness the Nigerian civil war, perhaps this was why most of them are beating war drums but I am sure they must all have an idea of what is going on in the Boko Haram troubled region of North-East, they should remember not to forget that "when the rain falls, it does not fall on one roof alone." The truth is that the South-East deserves developmental projects (likewise all the regions in Nigeria) but not the enrichment of a few scrupulous elements and bloodsuckers whom are uncomfortable with the nation's peaceful coexistence.
It is on record that almost all previous administrations especially that of Goodluck Jonathan neglected Ndigbo and South-Eastern region with no visible development unless on papers, the thieving ruling class and the so-called political elites are also guilty of sucking the entire region dry including traditional rulers.
If these so-called Igbo freedom fighters succeeded in birthing another civil war, it is only the poor people of the South-East that will suffer just like the case in North-East where only the poor masses have been the very victims of Boko Haram insurgency for several years. Nnamdi Kanu and cohorts lives in far away United Kingdom, so it is only the poor Ndigbo residing in Nigeria will fall victims of the civil war and pay the price of what Nnamdi Kanu bargained for.
So Ndigbo are free to put up a fight against Nigeria at their own peril and bring the nation down if they can, it won’t affect anybody or any region but Ndigbo and the South-East region in general. Whatever the outcome will be as a result of this politically motivated agitation, Ndigbo should have nobody to blame but themselves for the cane that was used to beat the first wife is on the roof top for the second wife.
Monday, 27 July 2015
Sunday, 5 July 2015
Between Wammakko And Sokoto State IPP: Seven Wily Years In Search Of 38megawatts, By Usama Dandare
Just like Lagos and Kano, Sokoto is unequivocally in the rank of Nigeria's most luckiest states when it comes to rapid development and democratic dividends. Whoever left Sokoto state and returns after ten years must acknowledge the fact that the state has indeed attained a significant level of development, especially in infrastructure.
Since the return of democracy in 1999, the state have been witnessing stupendous developments with both previous governors putting in a marvelous performance in positively moving the state forward. From 1999 to date, several astounding projects numbering hundreds were executed in all areas of development; one of such developmental project is the construction of an Independent Power Plant embarked upon by the immediate past administration of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wammakko.
It is seven years now since construction work began at the site of the Sokoto state Independent Power Plant, the state government had in 2008, signed a contract with a United States based energy company, Vulcan Capital Energy, to build an Independent Power Project (IPP) which will boost power supply by 38MW at the cost of ₦3.8billion (approximately ₦100million per megawatt), and the initial plan was to complete the project within six months but contrary to other successful projects in the state, the power project kept moving lackadaisically and it's now seemingly becoming a monumental fraud.
The project, located at Arkilla area of Sokoto metropolis, is to generate 38MW of electricity to the state, and was to be executed through an Abuja based firm, Vulcan Elvaton Limited, a subsidiary partner to Vulcan Capital Energy. The plant was initially scheduled for completion in early 2009 but having failed to meet the deadline, the completion period was for the first time shifted to September 2009, later to December 2010 and again to July 2011, it's again extended to September 2013 and to August 2014 and since then, nothing concrete has been heard from those in authority. In this fashion, the so-called completion period kept jumping from this month to the next, due to some foreseen or unforeseen circumstances.
According to the terms of this fraudulent project, the gas turbine plant is designed to run using the very expensive 'black oil' which will definitely add another financial burden on the state and would therefore hold the people of Sokoto state to ransom for life. The task of maintaining a gas turbine power plant must surely consume millions of Naira monthly, and will possibly birth another new avenue to loot the state treasury in the name of buying black oil. Why gas turbine when there are other less expensive and easy to maintain sources like hydro, solar or wind?
The short-term project originally touted to be completed and produce power within six months has surprisingly stretched to over seven years and still counting with no realistic date for now. A visit to the construction site must undoubtedly leave one in dilemma and cold feet based on the slow phase at which the project has been moving since inception, despite various promises of completion and inauguration. Both Governor Wammakko, his cohorts and the construction firm have been issuing fraudulent word of honor and certainty of completing the power plant but to my uttermost disillusionment, the Plant is yet to show any signs of completion not to mention of commissioning.
Vogue and multifarious promises kept pouring in while the people of Sokoto keep waiting and waiting and waiting, but to no avail; all the dubious promises to complete the power plant as planned dust off and varnished into the sky. To set records straight for the emphasis of history, below are few among the series of dubious promises made by the government of Governor Wammakko and the contractors to complete and commission the power plant in due time;
Worried by the lackadaisical nature of the project, in 2013, Daily Trust queued up questions to the Chief Operations Officer of Vulcan Elvaton Ltd, Prince Franklyn, who assured that all the major equipments needed to complete the project were 100% on ground and that the company will promptly finish the project by the end of 2013, and will get it ready for commissioning by the first quarter of 2014. He claimed that all the turbines and generators have been installed successfully, a concrete foundation has also been built and what only remained before commissioning was for the coolant foundation to be strong enough before mounting the coolant which will possibly be ready in about 17 days as at then. I really wonder if Mr. Prince Franklyn was not mistaken 17 years for 17 days, it's 7 years now and yet, the concrete foundation is still not strong?
In the same vein, the people's hope of a stable and improved power supply was further guaranteed by the then state Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, on May 1, 2013, while inspecting the last consignment comprising electrical components at the IPP site, Wammakko reaffirmed; that the ongoing ₦3.8 billion Independent Power Project (IPP) in the state would be a reality in the next one month (meaning June 2013) but to my dismay, over two years now and the IPP isn't only faraway from reality but seemingly unrealistic.
In the series of dubious promises, Governor Aliyu Wamakko, while speaking during a traditional sallah homage paid to him by the Sultan, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III on August 10, 2013, again revealed that the Sokoto Independent Power Plant (IPP) was to undergo a test-run in the following month of September. And as usual, Wammakko's disclosure turnout to be another deceit because as of today; the IPP has never been tested not even for a second. The people of Sokoto state can confirm this.
While addressing newsmen in Abuja on March 11, 2014, a media consultant to the Sokoto state government, Alhaji Ibrahim Jirgi disclosed that the Independent Power Project (IPP) that is being developed by the state is about 80% completed and will be commission in the next two months. Here we are, almost a year and half gone and no sign of completing the project less to talk of commissioning.
Speaking shortly after inspecting the last batch of equipments for the power project - a 50 MVA transformer and its accessories - on April 23, 2014, Alhaji Sahabi Isa Gada, Secretary to the Sokoto state government and chairman implementation committee of the state’s IPP, expressed optimism and promised that the state's independent power plant would commence operation by May of 2014. More than a years gone and the whole project is still as it was in 2009.
Again on July 19, 2014, Governor Aliyu Wamakko while speaking at the graduation ceremony of 125 youths trained in shoe- making and the distributions of Ramadan package to the needy reassured the general public that the "Sokoto State Independent Power Project (IPP) is to commence operation by the end of August 2014."
On July 24, 2014, Governor Aliyu Wamakko having forgotten what he promised in 2013 moved on to again reassure the public that arrangements have been concluded for the take-off of the state’s Independent Power Project (IPP) and that it will commence operation very soon. At this point, one must begin to wonder why Governor Wammakko keeps on repeating promises that were meant to be false and what obstacle could be responsible for the delay in commissioning the power project despite all these promises of completion dating back to 2009?
Above are just few in the series of countless lies of the pervasive greed, fraud, and corruption sold-out daily by both Governor Wammakko and his co-travelers, all in pretense of establishing a dubious power plant while in reality, the project was mainly initiated to rob the taxpayers of their hard earned wealth and nothing but a fraud.
As i pen down this piece, the so-called Independent Power Project is nowhere near completion, the only visible things within the entire mise en scène of the project as at today is; one large-size generator, a red tank constructed for storing black oil that will run the power plant, two mango trees, two uniform military men and two civil defense officers on guard. In all sense of fairness, this is how the outlook of the locus where the so-called power plant is situated and has been this way for over two years now.
It appears a major fraud is being perpetrated against the hard-working people of Sokoto State in the construction of this Independent Power Plant (IPP), the people of Sokoto State should not be misled by stories that progress was or have being made at the job site, nothing commendable has been achieved so far and all the equipments are not new but second-hand, dated, used, and not up to standard; whoever hope of a stable electricity from this power plant should simply put it where it rightly belong (into the dustbin), the nature of work put in place isn't what the people of Sokoto State bargained for or what they were promised.
Though there are several petitions inviting the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to come investigate the power project for alleged financial misappropriation, there's still the need for the present government of RT. Hon. Aminu Waziri to revisit every single move involving the project in the spirit of change, and to right the wrong of the previous regime if only if the anti-corruption slogan of the APC led-government is really for the masses benefits.
Since the return of democracy in 1999, the state have been witnessing stupendous developments with both previous governors putting in a marvelous performance in positively moving the state forward. From 1999 to date, several astounding projects numbering hundreds were executed in all areas of development; one of such developmental project is the construction of an Independent Power Plant embarked upon by the immediate past administration of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wammakko.
It is seven years now since construction work began at the site of the Sokoto state Independent Power Plant, the state government had in 2008, signed a contract with a United States based energy company, Vulcan Capital Energy, to build an Independent Power Project (IPP) which will boost power supply by 38MW at the cost of ₦3.8billion (approximately ₦100million per megawatt), and the initial plan was to complete the project within six months but contrary to other successful projects in the state, the power project kept moving lackadaisically and it's now seemingly becoming a monumental fraud.
The project, located at Arkilla area of Sokoto metropolis, is to generate 38MW of electricity to the state, and was to be executed through an Abuja based firm, Vulcan Elvaton Limited, a subsidiary partner to Vulcan Capital Energy. The plant was initially scheduled for completion in early 2009 but having failed to meet the deadline, the completion period was for the first time shifted to September 2009, later to December 2010 and again to July 2011, it's again extended to September 2013 and to August 2014 and since then, nothing concrete has been heard from those in authority. In this fashion, the so-called completion period kept jumping from this month to the next, due to some foreseen or unforeseen circumstances.
According to the terms of this fraudulent project, the gas turbine plant is designed to run using the very expensive 'black oil' which will definitely add another financial burden on the state and would therefore hold the people of Sokoto state to ransom for life. The task of maintaining a gas turbine power plant must surely consume millions of Naira monthly, and will possibly birth another new avenue to loot the state treasury in the name of buying black oil. Why gas turbine when there are other less expensive and easy to maintain sources like hydro, solar or wind?
The short-term project originally touted to be completed and produce power within six months has surprisingly stretched to over seven years and still counting with no realistic date for now. A visit to the construction site must undoubtedly leave one in dilemma and cold feet based on the slow phase at which the project has been moving since inception, despite various promises of completion and inauguration. Both Governor Wammakko, his cohorts and the construction firm have been issuing fraudulent word of honor and certainty of completing the power plant but to my uttermost disillusionment, the Plant is yet to show any signs of completion not to mention of commissioning.
Vogue and multifarious promises kept pouring in while the people of Sokoto keep waiting and waiting and waiting, but to no avail; all the dubious promises to complete the power plant as planned dust off and varnished into the sky. To set records straight for the emphasis of history, below are few among the series of dubious promises made by the government of Governor Wammakko and the contractors to complete and commission the power plant in due time;
Worried by the lackadaisical nature of the project, in 2013, Daily Trust queued up questions to the Chief Operations Officer of Vulcan Elvaton Ltd, Prince Franklyn, who assured that all the major equipments needed to complete the project were 100% on ground and that the company will promptly finish the project by the end of 2013, and will get it ready for commissioning by the first quarter of 2014. He claimed that all the turbines and generators have been installed successfully, a concrete foundation has also been built and what only remained before commissioning was for the coolant foundation to be strong enough before mounting the coolant which will possibly be ready in about 17 days as at then. I really wonder if Mr. Prince Franklyn was not mistaken 17 years for 17 days, it's 7 years now and yet, the concrete foundation is still not strong?
In the same vein, the people's hope of a stable and improved power supply was further guaranteed by the then state Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, on May 1, 2013, while inspecting the last consignment comprising electrical components at the IPP site, Wammakko reaffirmed; that the ongoing ₦3.8 billion Independent Power Project (IPP) in the state would be a reality in the next one month (meaning June 2013) but to my dismay, over two years now and the IPP isn't only faraway from reality but seemingly unrealistic.
In the series of dubious promises, Governor Aliyu Wamakko, while speaking during a traditional sallah homage paid to him by the Sultan, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III on August 10, 2013, again revealed that the Sokoto Independent Power Plant (IPP) was to undergo a test-run in the following month of September. And as usual, Wammakko's disclosure turnout to be another deceit because as of today; the IPP has never been tested not even for a second. The people of Sokoto state can confirm this.
While addressing newsmen in Abuja on March 11, 2014, a media consultant to the Sokoto state government, Alhaji Ibrahim Jirgi disclosed that the Independent Power Project (IPP) that is being developed by the state is about 80% completed and will be commission in the next two months. Here we are, almost a year and half gone and no sign of completing the project less to talk of commissioning.
Speaking shortly after inspecting the last batch of equipments for the power project - a 50 MVA transformer and its accessories - on April 23, 2014, Alhaji Sahabi Isa Gada, Secretary to the Sokoto state government and chairman implementation committee of the state’s IPP, expressed optimism and promised that the state's independent power plant would commence operation by May of 2014. More than a years gone and the whole project is still as it was in 2009.
Again on July 19, 2014, Governor Aliyu Wamakko while speaking at the graduation ceremony of 125 youths trained in shoe- making and the distributions of Ramadan package to the needy reassured the general public that the "Sokoto State Independent Power Project (IPP) is to commence operation by the end of August 2014."
On July 24, 2014, Governor Aliyu Wamakko having forgotten what he promised in 2013 moved on to again reassure the public that arrangements have been concluded for the take-off of the state’s Independent Power Project (IPP) and that it will commence operation very soon. At this point, one must begin to wonder why Governor Wammakko keeps on repeating promises that were meant to be false and what obstacle could be responsible for the delay in commissioning the power project despite all these promises of completion dating back to 2009?
Above are just few in the series of countless lies of the pervasive greed, fraud, and corruption sold-out daily by both Governor Wammakko and his co-travelers, all in pretense of establishing a dubious power plant while in reality, the project was mainly initiated to rob the taxpayers of their hard earned wealth and nothing but a fraud.
As i pen down this piece, the so-called Independent Power Project is nowhere near completion, the only visible things within the entire mise en scène of the project as at today is; one large-size generator, a red tank constructed for storing black oil that will run the power plant, two mango trees, two uniform military men and two civil defense officers on guard. In all sense of fairness, this is how the outlook of the locus where the so-called power plant is situated and has been this way for over two years now.
It appears a major fraud is being perpetrated against the hard-working people of Sokoto State in the construction of this Independent Power Plant (IPP), the people of Sokoto State should not be misled by stories that progress was or have being made at the job site, nothing commendable has been achieved so far and all the equipments are not new but second-hand, dated, used, and not up to standard; whoever hope of a stable electricity from this power plant should simply put it where it rightly belong (into the dustbin), the nature of work put in place isn't what the people of Sokoto State bargained for or what they were promised.
Though there are several petitions inviting the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to come investigate the power project for alleged financial misappropriation, there's still the need for the present government of RT. Hon. Aminu Waziri to revisit every single move involving the project in the spirit of change, and to right the wrong of the previous regime if only if the anti-corruption slogan of the APC led-government is really for the masses benefits.
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