Vice President Namadi Sambo said on Thursday said that the Federal Government had approved N30 billion for the transmission of power from the Kashimbila dam and onward distribution to consumers in Taraba.
The vice president said this at the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Campaign Rally in Jalingo, Taraba.
According to Sambo, President Goodluck Jonathan will be in Taraba soon to inaugurate the multipurpose dam project expected to boost agriculture, water supply and energy across the state.
“Mr President has fully funded the Kashambila Dam. Kashimbila dam is a reality; this project is on the verge of completion and Mr President will come within the next few months to commission that project.
“I will to inform that Kashimbilla is a multi-purpose Dam project. It has a 10,000 irrigation scheme, it has an agricultural training institute, it has a 40-megawatt hydro-power plant.
“Mr President has just approved the sum of N30 billion to transmit and distribute the power to the good people of Taraba.
“Mr President, we are very grateful”.
Sambo also dismissed a pledge by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari that he would revive the Mambilla hydro-power plant, saying that the plant was not an abandoned project.
He stated that President Jonathan had approved $1.5 billion for the construction of the 3,050megawatts Mambilla power plant.
“I want to seize this opportunity to make a (comment); I will start by not taking the advantage of the ignorance of the presidential candidate of APC, yesterday, when he said that he is going to revive the Mambilla
“That is not true. Karya ne (it’s a lie). Already, Mr President has approved the contract for the construction of the 3,050megawatts Mambilla power plant.
“And not only approval, he has provided the sum of $1.5 billion to begin the project.
“So, I’m sorry there’s no Mambilla to revive, already Mambilla is being developed and work is progressing”.
Sambo said Jonathan was transforming Taraba just as the PDP-led Federal Government had embarked on the dredging of the River Benue to enable ships and bigger boats to berth in Taraba.
“I have another good news; Mr President has approved the dredging of River Benue. Very soon you will see ships and boats coming to Jalingo.
“Mr President is transforming Taraba state, Mr President is transforming Nigeria.
“Nigeria! Sai Goodluck”.
He, therefore, called on the people of Taraba to reelect Jonathan to enable him to complete the good works he had begun nationwide.
He also charged them to vote for all PDP candidates in all the elections. (NAN)