Egbin Power Company is planning to explore opportunities in renewable energy sources in Katsina, Adamawa, Borno and other states in the Northeastern and Northcentral parts of the country.
It’s Chairman, Mr Kola Adesina, who made this known during a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, said the decision to invest in renewable energy in those states was borne out of the desire to help improve electricity generation and distribution capacity in the country.
He said: ‘’We would be building renewable energy plants in Adamawa, Katsina, Borno and other states, in line with our goals to improve power supply in the country. The renewable energy initiative would help in providing electricity to some sections of the populace that do not have access to grid electricity transmission. Our vision is to electrify Nigeria, and we have been nominated on the Committee that is charged with the responsibility of Lightening Up Lagos.”
He explained that infrastructure has been a major problem in the sector, arguing that failure of the operators to get the requited equipment for power generation and distribution is affecting growth of the industry.
Adesina said his firm would establish power industrial park, through which stakeholders in the value chain would be getting materials needed for production.
According to him, the industrial park would be similar to the parks, which the Federal Government, has approved for the oil and gas sector.
‘’Our plan is to build industrial power for the electricity sector, as soon as we overcome our challenges. The park would help in fast-tracking the growth of the sector, by increasing the electricity generation and distribution output” he added.
He said power is one of the three critical sectors that should be developed to move the economic forward, urging the Federal Government to help grow the industry.
Adesina explained that the sector, especially the operators are grappling with huge debts, arguing that the issue has not allowed them to produce the desired growth.
He appealed to the government to help Egbin Power Company, recover debts in the course of running its plant.
The foreign exchange market, he said, is unfavourable, in view of the fact that the value of the naira has fallen drastically.
He noted that, naira which was exchanged for N159 to a dollar few years ago, when investors were buying the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), now sell for N197 per dollar at the official market.
This, he said, made operators to spend more on importation of raw materials, with its undesirable consequences on the industry.
this in line with the Federal Government’s decision to boost power supply via generating 33,000 gigawatts (Gwh) of electricity through renewable energy sources,
It would be recalled that the Federal Government adopted the Renewable Energy Target(RET) scheme few years. The scheme, adopted from Australia, was to assist Nigeria to optimally maximise its renewable energy sources. The government had broken the scheme into two namely the Small-scale Renewable Energy Target and the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target in order to allow businesses and individuals invest in the off-grid transmission in order to increase power supply in the country.
In line with the Federal Government’s decision to boost power supply via generating 33,000 gigawatts (Gwh) of electricity through renewable energy sources, Egbin Power Company is planning to explore opportunities in renewable energy sources in Katsina, Adamawa, Borno and other states in the Northeastern and Northcentral parts of the country.
The company’s Chairman, Mr Kola Adesina, who made this known during a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, said the decision to invest in renewable energy in those states was borne out of the desire to help Nigeria’s improve its electricity generation and distribution capacity.
He said: ‘’We would be building renewable energy plants in Adamawa, Katsina, Borno and other states, in line with our goals to improve power supply in the country. The renewable energy initiative would help in providing electricity to some sections of the populace that do not have access to grid electricity transmission. Our vision is to electrify Nigeria, and we have been nominated on the Committee that is charged with the responsibility of Lightening Up Lagos.”
He explained that infrastructure has been a major problem in the sector, arguing that failure of the operators to get the requited equipment for power generation and distribution is affecting growth of the industry.
Adesina said his firm would establish power industrial park, through which stakeholders in the value chain would be getting materials needed for production.
According to him, the industrial park would be similar to the parks, which the Federal Government, has approved for the oil and gas sector.
‘’Our plan is to build industrial power for the electricity sector, as soon as we overcome our challenges. The park would help in fast-tracking the growth of the sector, by increasing the electricity generation and distribution output” he added.
He said power is one of the three critical sectors that should be developed to move the economic forward, urging the Federal Government to help grow the industry.
Adesina explained that the sector, especially the operators are grappling with huge debts, arguing that the issue has not allowed them to produce the desired growth.
He appealed to the government to help Egbin Power Company, recover debts in the course of running its plant.
The foreign exchange market, he said, is unfavourable, in view of the fact that the value of the naira has fallen drastically.
He noted that, naira which was exchanged for N159 to a dollar few years ago, when investors were buying the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), now sell for N197 per dollar at the official market.
This, he said, made operators to spend more on importation of raw materials, with its undesirable consequences on the industry.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government adopted the Renewable Energy Target(RET) scheme few years. The scheme, adopted from Australia, was to assist Nigeria to optimally maximise its renewable energy sources. The government had broken the scheme into two namely the Small-scale Renewable Energy Target and the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target in order to allow businesses and individuals invest in the off-grid transmission in order to increase power supply in the country.
Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has declared that his state has the highest number of youth unemployment in the country.
Speaking when he played host to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalong, Masari said the state would however partner with the federal government in order to tackle the challenge.
The governor who spoke through his deputy, Mannir Yakubu, said his administration accords priority to youth empowerment and development, adding that the state was repositioning its skills acquisition centre for effective skills training.
Masari urged the minister to utilise the sporting facilities in the state’s newly built Karkanda Stadium even, as he also appealed for the completion of the abandoned Malumfashi Stadium being constructed by the federal government.
Earlier in an address, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalong, regretted that the Nigerian youths are frustrated owing to the deliberate policy of previous administrations which rendered them useless, while assuring that the current administration would address youth unemployment and poverty within shortest time possible.
The Bank of Industry (BoI) has started a training programme for the 150 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) selected to benefit from its N2 billion Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) scheme in Katsina State.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the three-day training programme in Katsina, the Managing Director of BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, who was represented by the Divisional Head, Small and Medium Enterprises (North), Mr. Shekarau Omar, said the initiative was designed to empower the Nigerian youth, knowing that government and the private sector, could not sufficiently address the unemployment situation in the country.
He said: “While the training would help those who already have business plan, but could not translate it to bankable project, the bank’s business development experts would help to fine tune those who were already in business.
“Although the youth corp members are the direct beneficiaries of the GEF initiative, the entire nation will benefit from it. This is because when the youths are developed, the whole of the environment is transformed.
“The number of youth that the government and private organisations can employ is limited. But if we empower these young people to be on their own, and quite a good number of them are desirous to be on their own, they will be useful not only to themselves, but add their quota to the economic development of the nation. The training programme was organised for the beneficiaries of the GEF scheme, to give them first-hand drilling on how to successfully run a profitable business.”
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Katsina State Government have agreed to tackle joblessness in the state. Both agreed to this when the NDE Director-General, Abubakar Mohammed, paid a visit to Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari. Mallam Abubakar said the NDE had about eight fully equipped skills acquisition centers across Katsina State, including a traditional textile training center in Agayawa and an integrated farming training scheme in Kagadama.
He explained that each of the first six centers is training 120 unemployed persons in different areas such as computer operations, GSM repairs, fashion design, knitting, welding and autotronics, while another 120 are receiving training in traditional weaving in Agayawa center. Fifty unemployed persons are also being trained in environmental beautification. Abubakas said if such projects are replicated across all the local governments in the state, it would go a long way in reducing youth unemployment.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the time table for bye-election into the Katsina Federal Constituency.
According to INEC in house daily bulletin, the election is scheduled to hold on the August 8, 2015.
A meeting with stakeholders in preparation for the election was held Wednesday July 15, 2015.
Party primaries and collection of forms according to INEC time table for the bye-election have been slated for July 25, 2015 –August 7, 2015 while the last day for submission of forms is July27, 2015.
According to the Commission’s daily bulletin, INEC is expected to publish the list of nominated candidates for the election from July 29-30, 2015, while campaign is to end by August 7, 2015.
Meanwhile, the commission has registered a new political party, the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC), thereby bringing the number of registered parties in the country to 29.
The approval according to INEC in house bulletin came at the end of Commission’s meeting, held on Friday June19, 2015.
In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, the party Constitution, Manifesto, Logo/flag and the list of the National Executive Officers were also approved.
The letter also stated that the certificate of registration would be issued in due course.
• Heartland, Abia Warriors, Wikki get home victories
FC Ifeanyiubah recorded an emphatic 4-1 away win against El Kanemi Warriors at their new home at the Karkanda Stadium in Katsina yesterday.
Two goals each from Uchechukwu Onyedikachi and Solomon Eludi handed the Anambra Warriors their biggest road win of the season till date.
The win took them to third on the log with 23 points from 13 games.
At the Rojenny Sports Complex in Oba, Heartland beat FC Taraba 2-0 to improve on the league table after their 0-2 loss to Enyimba in midweek.
Goals from Bright Ejike and Roland Koffi in the sixth and 31st minutes ensured that the Naze Millionaires moved to 21 points from 13 matches.
While at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe, Wikki Tourists battered Sharks 3-0 to move to second on the log with 24 points from 13 games.
Kwara United were however held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lobi Stars after a 79th minute strike from Obioma Arinze cancelled out Segun Alebiosu’s first half strike.
Coach Stephen Keshi alongside his assistants, the backroom staff and 20 home–based professionals yesterday arrived in Katsina for Tuesday’s commemorative match against Nigeria National League side, Spotlight FC.
Spotlight FC, who are in the Round of 32 of this year’s Federation Cup competition after defeating Idah United FC in the Round of 64, will try the Super Eagles B for strength as part of activities marking the commissioning of the brand –new, 35,000–seater Karkanda Stadium located in the capital city.
Picked for the assignment are Chibuzor Okonkwo, Rabiu Ali, Nelson Ogbonnaya, Gabriel Okechukwu, Azeez Shobowale, Moses Ebong, Chima Akas, Nathaniel Joseph, Chidiebere Eze, Olabisi Samuel, Esosa Igbinoba, Onyedikachi Bright, Idris Aloma, Charles Henlong, Kunle Odunlami, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Tunde Adeniji, Onoriode Odah, Stanley Dimgba and Michael Egbeta.
The sweet savour of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the polls has not subsided in Daura, his hometown in the north of Katsina State. But when he visited the emirate after the elections, the enthusiastic crowd made it clear they wanted a president for all Nigerians, not a provincial or regional leader. TONY AKOWE reports
The crowd that welcomed him at the Katsina airport was comparable to the multitude that queued up to vote for him. They chanted his name as he rode triumphantly to Daura, his ancestral home. But they also knew what kind of president they wanted: one who will make a huge difference as a true national leader.
It was the first time Daura residents and the people of the emirate were seeing the retired General after he became President-
Inset: Gen. Buhari
elect. It was all jubilation right from the Katsina airport as the people lined the road in joyous celebration.
A first-time visitor to Daura may be taken aback by the show of solidarity for the incoming president, but the General himself said it was nothing new. He told reporters that the reception he received from his people had always been overwhelming.
“The reception I receive in my constituency has always been like that since April 2002,” he said. “So, for you, it may be something spectacular but it has always been a regular thing”.
Mallam Ahmed Abubakar, a resident of Kofar Baru in the heart of Daura town, told The Nation that though they were still celebrating the victory of their kinsman, he had never seen such a large turnout of people in the town.
“For all these years that Buhari had been contesting the election, right from the defunct ANPP [All Nigeria Peoples Party] to CPC [Congress for Progressive Change] days, we have never witnessed such a large turnout of people,” he said. “I think this is as a result of the victory for General Buhari and the APC [All Progressives Congress].
“At first we were scared, we thought the election may not hold, but we were only surprised to see that they are only here to observe the election. General Buhari has more supporters now than all other previous elections; you know in this country more than any other time before, Nigerians need change, we need someone who has the interest of the country at heart, we need someone that will embrace all Nigerians in respective of religion or tribe.”
Contrary to popular thinking, the people of the town do not believe that Buhari is a hard and rigid man who does not listen to people. Instead, they believe that he is always willing to share what he has. They believe that he is a good listener, with a good sense of humor.
Senator-elect for Katsina North senatorial district, Mustapha Bukar, who also hails from Daura, told The Nation that Buhari has always been a friendly person.
He said, “I believe that you have associated with him. Two weeks ago, you were in his house. He is a very friendly person and if you don’t come close to him, you will think that he is not friendly. But people think that you can be friends with people by giving them money or asking them to do something that is wrong. When he declines, somebody will think that he is not friendly. General Buhari is a very friendly person. One thing I like about him is that each time we talk there is always a lot of jokes that will make you laugh and relax and make you understand that he is listening and takes your advice. You may say that he does not give you the answer quickly, but that is because he digests whatever you give him. He does not just take things the way you think because anybody coming to a senior person like him would have thought through what he wanted and if the outcome is not what he is looking for, then he may think the man is not friendly. I think he is a very friendly person”.
Bukar who resigned his position as a District Head to contest the Senatorial seat, said the secret behind the people’s love for the General cannot easily be explained. Bukar believes that he is liked because of his honesty.
“It is not money that makes him popular, but making people see him as an example. He is liked because he is honest and so, people come to him. They believe in his ideal, they believe he leads by example. He does not have to give them money, but he tells them what to do and when he was in a position to do what they wanted, he did not hesitate. When he was in PTF [Petroleum Trust Fund], he did a lot of projects and nobody has been able to do what he did. No ministry has been able to do the amount of work that he did when he was in PTF and he made sure there is social justice. They believe he is a person that will ensure there is equity and what is need in any nation is to have that social justice and equity. Give people what they need. He is somebody who has always tried to show the people that there is social justice and that people should be given their dues. They people know that as a leader, he will take care of their responsibilities. The followers believe that anybody who is in a position of authority is there to take care of all their problems and there is no way he will allow anything to happen to them. Unfortunately, these days, the leaders who are supposed to take care of the subjects ends up compromising them. That is the difference. He is a very simple person to work with”.
For former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor elect of Katsina state, Right Honourable Aminu Bello Masari, the emergence of Gen. Buhari as President elect will be a plus for the state. Masari is not unaware of the fact that Buhari coming from Katsina will put a lot of pressure on his government. He told The Nation that “We are not meeting with Buhari on the platform of political party alone. We have a long standing relationship and now, we have a political relationship. That Buhari is from Katsina state, for us, is a plus, and that plus depends on how we manage it. We want Buhari to be a Nigerian leader. We don’t want Buhari to be a regional, zonal or provincial leader. We want him to be a Nigerian leader that will leave a legacy of positive contribution to this country and that is the basis on which people elected him. So, we will help him to maintain and improve on those qualities which the people of Nigeria see in him. We will never do anything that will tarnish his image, his reputation or his standing internationally and nationally. When we go somewhere and say I am from Katsina, we want the doors to be open. So for us, it is a plus”.
Residents of the Daura are no doubt enjoying the new status of town. The attraction of different people to the town for the election, they said has increased business activities in the town and believe that with Buhari as Nigerian President, attention will now shift to the place just like it did other parts of the country that has produced Nigerian President. However, they want the President elect to bring development to the place. They believe that business Centres such hotels and other recreation Centres should be attracted to the town.
ALL Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Katsina State Alhaji Aminu Masari has condemned the “rampant’’ purchase of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by some politicians in the state.
Masari, who was House of Representatives Speaker between 2003 and 2007, made the allegation yesterday at an interactive session with the people of Ingawa, Kankia and Kusada Local Government Areas in Kankia.
He said: “The rampant purchase of PVCs by some politicians in Katsina State has become a matter of concern to everybody with progressive ideas.
‘’The buying of the PVCs from poor women is an act of wickedness that must be condemned by all political stakeholders.
‘’The action of the group of politicians negates all democratic norms in civilised societies as it is designed to disenfranchise the poor women.’’
He further alleged that members of his APC party caught a serving councilor from Baure Local Government Area with over 20 PVCs.
He said that the councilor was caught with the PVCs while photocopying them in a business centre, even as he alleged that another woman was also caught buying the PVCs in Danja Local Government Area of the state.
According to Masari, another person was caught at Mashi Local Government Area while purchasing the PVCs from youths and women.
‘’Our party officials have handed over all the suspects to the police for action so as to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
He advised all eligible voters to desist from selling their PVCs to the politicians, stressing that such steps will prevent them the right to vote in the right candidate during the polls.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Aminu Sadiq, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident and said that the command has initiated an investigation into the matter.
