Jonathan inaugurates Alaoji power plant, targets 6 others

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday commissioned first phase of the Alaoji power project in Aba, Abia State, and pledged to complete the second phase soon
He said six additional power plants would be inaugurated by him before December this year.
Jonathan stated this yesterday in Umuobasiukwu, Alaoji, near Aba, during the inauguration of the Alaoji Combined Cycle Power Station owned by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC.
President Jonathan said that power is key to development, noting that without power, micro, small and medium enterprises cannot operate well.
He said: “For small businesses to survive, they need adequate power supply. If small businesses generate their own power, their returns will be quite minimal and their turn-over will be too low. That is why we are totally committed and we promise you that the second phase of this project will be completed.”
The president said that he refused to abandon the project which suffered a hitch at a point in its construction in 2009 because he wanted to ensure that Nigerians had enough power to run their businesses.
He thanked the people of Umuobasiukwu and Alaiyi for providing the land on which the plant is situated and for supporting the construction company.
President Jonathan later cut the tape to open the 504 megawatt power plant constructed by Rockson Engineering Limited.
The Minister for Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo said that today (yesterday) was another day of joy and glory, especially for the power sector in the country.
He said that the president saw on assumption of office that all the NIPP projects were moribund and decided to revive them after touring the power plants.
Nebo said that the Alaoji plant was the fourth the president was inaugurating after the Geregu, Omotosho and Olorunsogo power plants with 430, 500 and 750 megawatts respectively.
He explained that following the pace of work on the plants, six more IPPs would be inaugurated by the president before December 2015.
Chief Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide said the plant was constructed wholly by a Nigerian engineering company, Rockson Engineering Limited.
He noted that the project points to the “can-do” spirit of Nigerians when given the opportunity to do so.
Arumemi-Ikhide thanked the President for having begun the use of local content in running projects in the county and giving Nigerians the chance to showcase their industrial capacity.