Critical Oversight: Mambilla Hydro-Power Plant Faces Zero Allocation in 2024 Budget Proposal

The 2024 budget proposal has omitted any allocation for the Mambilla Hydro-Power plant construction, a multi-billion-naira project in Gembu, Taraba State, reports Daily Trust.

Despite being touted as the largest hydropower plant in Nigeria with the potential to generate over 3,050 Megawatts, the absence of funding in the proposed budget raises questions about the government’s commitment to addressing the nation’s energy crisis.

The project, approved by the Federal Executive Council in August 2017 with a budget of $5.792 billion, faced controversies during the previous administration. The construction contract was awarded to the Chinese Civil and Engineering Company.

Former Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola, highlighted the project’s significance, stating it would boost the economy, contribute to renewable energy goals, and address climate change concerns. However, the 2024 budget proposal allocates N400 million for conferences, while the Mambilla Power Project remains overlooked.

The Senate Committee on Power, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, plans to query the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, about the zero allocation for Mambilla and the ministry’s intent to spend N400 million on conferences during the budget defense.

Northern Elders Forum expressed concerns, viewing the absence of funding for Mambilla as a plot to sabotage the North, depriving the region of economic opportunities and hindering the project’s potential to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape.

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, criticized the misplacement of priorities, emphasizing that substantial sums allocated for conferences overshadow the neglect of crucial infrastructure projects like the Mambilla Power Project.

As stakeholders question the government’s priorities, the fate of Mambilla Power Project hangs in the balance, raising doubts about the nation’s energy security in the coming years.