News
Reps Step Into Gurara II Power Row as FG, Abuja Power Clash Over Hydropower Project
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has begun consideration of a petition stemming from a long-running dispute between Abuja Power Company Limited and the Federal
over the proposed Gurara II Hydropower Project in Niger State.
At a hearing in Abuja, the committee chairman said the disagreement between APCL and the Federal Government, represented by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, falls clearly within the legislature’s oversight responsibilities. He disclosed that the panel received a formal petition from APCL through its legal representatives concerning the stalled project.
Lawmakers explained that the Gurara II project, also known as the Burara II Hydropower Project, is a proposed multipurpose dam located in Niger State. The project site lies within a Federal Government irrigation dam corridor along the Burari Jere Junction axis, leading towards Kaluniga and Kampacheng.
Appearing before the committee, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, confirmed that he was representing the Federal Government. Abuja Power Company was represented by its legal team and a company director, Prof. George Momen, who stood in for the firm’s managing director.
Presenting the petition, lead counsel to APCL, Oluwemi Okunbi, SAN, told lawmakers that the dispute revolves around the Gurara II project, which he said was initiated by his client as far back as 2004.
He informed the committee that APCL obtained a Certificate of Occupancy from the Niger State Government to develop the project, but alleged that the title was later revoked following interventions by federal officials seeking to transfer the project to another company.
According to him, APCL was forced to seek judicial redress on two occasions to restore the revoked title, a process that significantly delayed the project. He explained that the Gurara development was designed as a multipurpose venture, combining irrigation, power generation and hospitality facilities, with expected benefits for host communities and the broader economy.
Okunbi further told the panel that APCL made repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably with the Ministry of Water Resources and other relevant authorities, including the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, noting that the dispute was of national importance and should not be allowed to drag on through prolonged court battles.
In its petition, APCL outlined three key prayers, “First, it urged the committee to note that the concession or public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement allegedly awarded to a Chinese firm, CGC Nigeria Limited, violated the Public Procurement Act, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act and regulations governing unsolicited proposals.
“Secondly, APCL asked that CGC Nigeria Limited be restrained from taking further steps on the project unless equivalent terms were first offered to APCL as the original project initiator”.
In the alternative, the company requested that if the ministry opted not to proceed with APCL’s unsolicited proposal, APCL should be adequately compensated in line with extant laws, and that the project be advertised and procured through a competitive bidding process.
Prof. Momen, speaking briefly, confirmed that the prayers reflected APCL’s position.
In his response, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation explained to the committee that Gurara II is a proposed 360-megawatt multipurpose dam conceived after the completion of the Gurara I project. He said the development was designed to support electricity generation, irrigate about 8,000 hectares of farmland, boost fisheries, provide flood control and promote tourism.
He told lawmakers that in 2010 the ministry engaged three consortiums to carry out technical assessments of the project, with the intention that it would be funded by the Federal Government. However, funding limitations later forced the ministry to adopt a selective procurement process, which resulted in the award of the project to CGC Nigeria Limited after technical and financial evaluations.
According to the minister, Abuja Power Company Limited surfaced only after the procurement process had been concluded, laying claim to a prior land allocation and expenses allegedly incurred on the project. He said that after assuming office, he invited both APCL and the Chinese firm for discussions and advised them to reach an understanding on compensation.
The situation, he noted, became more complicated when APCL took the matter to court, making it impossible for the ministry to pursue settlement discussions while litigation was ongoing.
During the hearing, several lawmakers questioned whether proper due diligence was carried out, who legally owned the project, the role played by the Niger State Government and whether APCL acted with lawful authority or merely as a volunteer when it commenced work at the site.
Other members cautioned the committee against venturing into issues already before the courts, warning that such action could interfere with ongoing judicial proceedings.
The committee is expected to study all submissions before it, including court processes and official correspondence, before deciding on the next steps in resolving the prolonged dispute surrounding the Gurara II Hydropower Project.
Midnight fire on Saturday destroyed more than 10 shops at the Terminus Market in Jos, Plateau State.
Witnesses said that the incident occurred around 10:00 p.m., after traders had closed for the day.
The latest incident comes three months after a section of the market was gutted by a similar night fire.
Our correspondent, who visited the market on Sunday morning, reports that more than 10 shops were affected, with clothes and shoes burnt to ashes.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately confirmed by market authorities, though some victims suggested it might have been caused by an electrical fault.
Firefighters and emergency responders were said to have acted swiftly to contain the blaze, preventing what many feared could have escalated into a major disaster.
A witness, Mr. Silas Lawrenzo, said that firefighters, including a team from the National Emergency Management Agency, worked alongside the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and the Plateau State Fire Service to bring the fire under control.
He said the coordinated and rapid response helped contain the flames, limiting damage and preventing the fire from spreading across the busy commercial hub.
The media reports that the market has experienced three separate fire incidents in the past year, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
The Inspector General of Police,Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has hailed the professionalism of Nigerian journalists and corrected a misconception about their roles in society cautioning that they should not be treated like beggars, instead accorded the full compliments of professionals deserving of respect
The IGP who commended Federal capital Territory journalists and sought stronger police- media partnership when he spoke as a special guest at the FCT NUJ council congress Saturday, said he has always had a mutually beneficial relationship with the media, recognising their professionalism that is deserving of respect and therefore they should never be treated as beggars
The calm and ever- smiling police chief said, “I have always had a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. They are professionals who deserve respect and should never be treated as beggars,”
Disu commended them for their role in informing the public and contributing to national development, describing his relationship with the media as one built on mutual respect and professionalism.
He emphasised that journalists should be regarded as respected professionals rather than beggars, noting that the media plays a critical role in society, while calling for stronger collaboration between the police and the media, stressing that a healthy partnership would enhance public trust and improve security communication.
The police chief further urged both police officers and journalists to conduct themselves responsibly at all times, noting that good conduct leaves lasting impressions in society.
Responding, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, congratulated the new IGP on his appointment and described him as a longstanding friend of the press.
She expressed confidence in his leadership and assured him of the council’s readiness to collaborate with the police in reporting security matters objectively
Ike also revealed that the IGP would be invited as a special guest to the council’s 2026 Press Week celebration.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the NUJ FCT Council to promoting responsible journalism and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening security and governance in the territory.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, was today honoured with the *Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025* by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
The Managing Director, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, *Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara*, described the award as recognition of his vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the *Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa*.
Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, the Authority’s Spokesman, highlighted the invaluable support of the *Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola*, which has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes. Key highlights include:
– Sustained port efficiencies contributing to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
– Successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
– Completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project.
– Technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
– Pioneering election of a Nigerian agency as President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) since 1972, with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
These successes position NPA to deliver major 2025 projects, including the $1 billion reconstruction of Tincan Island Port Complex, rehabilitation of key ports, new deep seaport developments, and eco-friendly operations.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
Midnight fire engulfs Jos main market destroying ten shops
Journalists are professionals deserving Respect- IGP Disu
NPA wins Champions Newspaper’s “Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025”
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