HON. EZECHI URGES HOUSE INTERVENTION FOR ABANDONED NNPC-NAOC OKPAI IPP PHASE 2 PROJECT.

On the 20th of February, the proactive Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi in a motion, brought attention to the unfortunate neglect of the phase 2 of the NNPC-NAOC joint venture Okpai Independent Power Plant project. This project, which received approval from the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and commenced construction in November 2017, had achieved approximately 90% completion before being abandoned by the contractors, Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited (SCNL) and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

Hon. Ezechi highlighted the distressing state of decay at the project site, where millions of dollars' worth of equipment and turbines lie idle, obscured by overgrowth. 

He emphasized that the abandonment of the IPP phase 2 not only jeopardizes a substantial investment of over $38.7 billion but also undermines the potential increase in electricity generation crucial for the nation's development.

Expressing concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the contract sum for the phase 2 project, Hon. Ezechi raised concerns about the accountability and integrity of the project's execution.

In response, the house unanimously supported the motion, directing the House Committee on Power to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the project's funding and the conduct of the contractors, including the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited. The committee is mandated to identify the obstacles that led to the project's abandonment and submit a detailed report to the House within four (4) weeks.