Electricity: Customer Eligibility Policy Yields Result – Fashola The Customer Eligibility Policy of the Federal Government has started yielding result, with five industrial customers presently buying electricity directly from Generation Companies (GenCos). The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made this known on Monday at the 29th stakeholders’ meeting organised by Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd., in Minna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Customer Eligibility Policy was declared by the minister in 2017 to improve distribution side of electricity and facilitate better power supply to consumers who consumed up to two mws and above. “From reports reaching me, five industrial customers are now benefitting from the policy and taking their power directly from a GENCO, which incidentally is our host today, messers Mainstream Energy Ltd. “We also have a list of 26 industrial customers who are seeking to benefit from the policy,’’ Fashola said. According him , directives have been issued to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to work out and implement competition transition charges as provided by Law, to safeguard operators from any losses arising from the policy. “We will continue to monitor the impact of the policy and remain flexible to keep what works and change what does not. “I urge everybody to remain open-minded, adaptive and responsive.’’ He said the provision of N701 billion payment assurance guaranteed by government was to give comfort to investors in the generation side of the value chain. This, he said was designed to ensure the payment of power produced by GenCos. “Since its implementation in 2017, recovery of payments by GenCos has increased from 20 per cent to 80 per cent and power supply capacity has improved from 4,000mw to 7,000mw and there is an appetite by other players to participate. “Is it perfect, certainly not, do the GenCos like it, I am sure that they will tell that 80 per cent recovery is better for business than 20 per cent recovery, but they would rather have 100 per cent recovery,’’ he said. The minster, however, said that GenCos must transparently invoice for their output made on generation of power. “We must harmonise the price of gas for payment under the scheme, where there are differential prices arising from different gas suppliers. “Therefore, we must work as owners of the policy to nurture and improve on its capabilities. On Meter Asset Provider (MAP), he said the policy was introduced to address the meter supply gap, relieve the DISCOs of the financial burden of meters. He said reports reaching him indicated that there was an embracement of the policy, adding that entrepreneurs were showing interest and talking to banks to raise finance. On energising educational institutions and markets, Fashola said, “these are government-led initiatives based on the rural electrification plan approved by the President in 2016 to provide access to power for rural dwellers and vulnerable members of our society.’’ He said government had proposed to use six small hydro dams that had been abandoned for decades to energise Federal Government owned universities and some markets. “There are currently 15 markets under contemplation with Ariaria, Sabon Gari and Sura markets in Aba, Kano and Lagos as flagships. “The six hydro dams are to be concessioned to private operators on Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT),’’ he said. Source: NAN ...

FEC Approves N348.5 Billion For Road Expansion The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved N348.5 billion for the expansion of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road into dual carriage way, linking Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made this known when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Council’s meeting. The meeting was presided over by acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Fashola said some portions of the affected road will be improved from a single carriage way to dual carriage, in order to ease the transportation. “The Ministry of Power, works and Housing presented the request for the award of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road, which was approved for the sum of N348, 595, 000, 000, for a total of 420.6 kilometres and the project scope is the expansion of the current two single lane highway into a dual carriage way. “What is significant about this project is that it completes the integration of the North-Central zone with the South-East and the North-East, having earlier approved contracts for the Abuja-Keffi road and the Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road all in the North-Central as well as approved the 9th Mile-Enugu-Makurdi road which connects the South-east to the North-Central,” he said. According to the Minister, the Federal Government has also approved the release of one billion naira as commitment fee for the immediate commencement of the expansion of Abuja – Keffi road. Fashola revealed that already three construction camps for the road project had been established to fast-track the movement of the contractors to site. He, however, expressed his ministry’s inability to pay seven billion naira as compensation to those to be affected by the Abuja – Keffi expansion road project. Mr Femi Adesina, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, disclosed that the Council approved over N12 billion for the execution of ecological projects across the country, He said the benefitting states included Anambra, Lagos, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Plateau, as well as the Federal Capital Territory and the State House. He said: “The sum of 12, 104, 882, 000 was approved for twelve ecological projects in different geo-political zones of the country. “The projects include Umunze erosion/flood control project in Anambra State, dredging and channelization of Musafejo canal in Surulere-Lagos and Ibadan flood and erosion control works in Oyo State. “Others are Ibiaku-Utui-Uroan route erosion control works in Akwa Ibom; erosion control and rehabilitation of Hong-Kanaha road in Adamawa State and gully erosion control project in Bauchi State. “The ecological projects include the Ramat Polytechnic erosion control and flood project in Borno State, erosion, flood control and road improvement works in Dutse, Jigawa State and erosion and flood control work in Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State.’’ Adesina also listed other projects to include the flood and erosion control project at Kanam, Plateau State; erosion control and bridges and road improvement works in Kwali Area Council Abuja and erosion control at State House-Abuja. Source (NAN) ...

Third Mainland Bridge Closure For Maintenance Tests Now Shifted To August 24 * As FG Directs Immediate Deployment Of Trucks To 300-Capacity Trailer Park As Part Of Efforts To Decongest Oshodi-Apapa Expressway The three day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24 the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has announced. The Shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018. In a Press Statement, Fashola said the shift in the date was arrived at after due consultations with the Lagos State Government and wide deliberations with other relevant stakeholders adding that the date shift was done “in order to give succour and relief to the people of Lagos State and other inter-state road users and support the efforts of the State Government." On the efforts to decongest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Fashola said, in the short term, he has directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the Ministry with the capacity to accommodate about 300 trucks while construction works for the shoreline protection continues. Also, the on-going palliative work on the sections of the Apapa-Oshodi Road , the on-going construction of the road leading to the Apapa Port from Ijora will soon be completed  while the main exit route through Tincan – Oshodi – Oworonshoki is under procurement for award. When completed, the project will enable free flow of traffic in the axis. Also following the visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to Lagos in connection with the Apapa Port Gridlock, the Federal Government has said, as a short term measure, a call up system in the control of truck movement would be introduced adding that it would be initially manual while the long term digital and ICT based system would be developed and deployed. The Association of Truck Owners has agreed to manage the manual system with their members who are truck operators, government also said. ...