By Bassey Udo
Member utility firms involved in the execution of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) should endeavour to pay all their contributions and settle all outstanding fees if the progress made with the regional electricity project implementation is to be sustained, the Chairman of the Executive Board of WAPP, Sule Abdulaziz, has said.
Abdulaziz spoke at the 55th ordinary session of the WAPP Executive Board meeting at the WAPP headquarters in Cotonou, Benin Republic on Saturday.
During the meeting, members
deliberated on and adopted a new work programme as well as the budget for the year 2023.
He expressed satisfaction with the 2023 working document, saying he was convinced that the document has been prepared in accordance with the rules by the General Secretariat and carefully reviewed by the WAPP Finance Committee to help realise set objectives.
Abdulaziz, who is also the Managing Director/CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), lauded the transparent manner in which WAPP has been implementing projects of the Pool.
“As with the review of the Financial Statements, where I expressed confidence in this institution and its transparent documentation, I reiterate the same sentiment regarding the 2023 Work Programme and Budget,” he said.
He reminded member utility firms on the need to pay up all their contributions and settle all outstanding fees, to sustain the progress recorded so far in the implementation of the regional electricity project.
The WAPP head also commended the Government and the People of Benin Republic and President Patrice Talon for the facilities granted the institution to establish its General Secretariat.
In his address to welcome participants at the meeting, the Secretary General of WAPP, Siengui KI, presented the Work Programme and Budget for the year 2023, focusing on key projects for implementation.
Ki noted that the WAPP projects were progressing according to schedule, but needed budget adjustments to accommodate the cost escalation of the project implementation.
He lauded the donor agencies for their support, pointing out the need for WAPP to explore other funding areas to augment member utility contributions to the Pool.
Some of the WAPP ongoing projects include the Central Information Centre (CIC) project, which is at an advanced stage, and the WAPP Network Synchronization project and the WAPP North Core project among others.
The high point of the meeting was the examination and adoption of the 2023 Work Programme and budget for WAPP.
