The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Borno State Government have disclosed that the duo would be joining forces to establish a Gas Power Plant that would serve as an alternative energy source for the state.
They explained that move had become imperative following the vandalization of the national grid by insurgents which had put the state in total blackout in the last three months.
The NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, said that the national oil company alongside its subsidiaries would stop at nothing in ensuring the state was reconnected back to the national grid.
Speaking when he led the NNPC delegation to the state on Friday, Kyari said that the Federal Government would not fold its arms and neglect the state that has been cut off from the national grid.
He added that his delegation included the Head of Gas and Power Business, Engr. Yusuf Usman, Representatives of Greensville Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), officials from the Distribution Company of Nigeria among other stakeholders who are into the power business in finding lasting solution to the state’s power challenges.
According to him, Our essence of coming to Maiduguri is to join you to resolve the power problem in Borno, particularly Maiduguri metropolis and its environs in the next four months.
“It is Mr President Muhammadu Buhari’s cardinal principles to deepen gas power consumption in our country, particularly on our domestic markets. “And that the easiest way to that is to deliver gas to power and to ultimately to industries. Mr President has declared this year as the Decades of Gas for the next 10 years. That means there is going to be sufficient gas entry into our domestic markets and industries.
“We have seen the opportunities and the challenges faced by the people in this part of the country, and it is pertinent to support your people have light restored back to this city. Also read: Borno Assembly passes vote of confidence on Gov Zulum, denies impeachment rumour.
“We as partners in the value chain have sat and talk to ourselves and agreed to team up to establish a dedicated power plant in Maiduguri which will serve the current need of power supply not only in Maiduguri but to other parts of the neighbouring cities.
“So we are glad to work with your Excellency to ensure that infrastructures needed for this project are provided within the shortest possible time. “We are going to operate in a short term to see that within three to four months time restore power back to Maiduguri through the installation of the gas power plant,” he said.
On his part, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, commended the Kyari-led delegation over its moves to collaborate with Borno government in restoring power cut off by bandits in the state.
He added that when the state was left with no option, his administration had to reach out to the national oil company for support toward restoring power back to the state.
According to him, we have no other alternative than to source for other solutions, instead of relying on the gridlines, as it is very difficult to man the poles and that informed our decision to contact NNPC and other power stakeholders to come to our aid.
“On behalf of Government and people of Borno State, we appreciate NNPC for the good support rendering to our people under your leadership as GMD. We have also received a lot of humanitarian support from some of your agencies, and we remain Internally grateful to you and your subsidiaries.
“Today’s event can change the entire narratives of our own state. Power is very essential. With power, we can reduce the magnitude of the insurgency, because millions of people are earning their means of livelihoods through the use of power.
“I have seen the agony our people went through during the nationwide fuel crisis, where entrepreneurs, especially market women and youths were trooping into filling stations queuing to buy some litres of petrol for their domestic or business usage.
“The ongoing insurgency has cut off the entire Borno from the national grid in the last two or three months. We put on all our efforts and restored it back, we have seen the joy and jubilation the people of Borno demonstrated after the restoration. But unfortunately, after 48 hours, the same group of insurgents went back and destroyed the main tower again,” the governor said.
