APBN hails Buhari over Mambilla plant project

The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) yesterday hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for awarding the Mambilla Power Project in 2017 with a completion time of six years.
Speaking at the 7th Summit of Professionals held at NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, President of the association, Dr.
Idris Omede, said the 3,050mw plant with four dams, transmission lines and road network over a large span of land, is being funded 15 per cent and 85 per cent by Nigeria and the China consortium respectively.
Describing it as a laudable project, Dr.
Omede remarked that the benefits derivable from the project when completed would enhance growth and development through creative industry, economic ventures, and tourism and job creation.
He recommended that: “In future, for similar and related projects, government should encourage relevant Nigerian companies partnering in joint ventures with foreign one because of the large capital outlay, which is the way to grow the system.
“This will also encourage a more disciplined professional collaboration between local and foreign companies on a variety of projects such as transportation, aviation, health and other sectors.” The association also commended the Buhari government for practical action taken to reactivate and reinvigorate Ajaokuta Steel Company located in Kogi state.
Dr.
Omede said it was expected that the company would provide many public and private sector benefits to Nigerians and the international communities.
He said: “All these collaborative efforts with the private sector will provide windows of opportunities in ameliorating contending national challenges.
On our path as professionals, we shall continue toconsistently apply our ethics, ethical standard and Code of Conduct and Practice and obedience to our regulation for the general good of the nation.” Dr.
Omede noted that the private and public sectors are mutually critical to the attainment of the much needed sustainable growth and development and argued that while the public sector is often saddled with the responsibility of providing enabling environment, mainly in areas of securing lives and property and provision of infrastructure, the private sector remains the engine room for driving the processes of socio economic growth and delivery of professional products for development.
The 7th summit of professionals with the theme: “Private sector participation as a panacea for sustainable growth and development,” attracted the presence of 30 APBN professional bodies from all parts of the country.