Sokto state governor, Barr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has called on the federal government to consider compensation to the state government for the take-over of the multi-billion Naira state-owned IPP power plant initiated by the immediate past administration.
The governor made the call while declaring open the 3 days expanded stakeholders engagement and interactive consultation on the proposed 30 mw hybrid pilot wind farm project in Jaredi and Shagari towns organized by the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in conjunction with Usman Danfodio University Energy Research Centre.
Recall that the plant was awarded in 2008 by former Governor Aliyu
Magatakarda Wamakko with over N 7 billion committed into the project.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Mainasara Ahmed, lamented that the project had consumed so much of the state’s lean financial resources and constituted a burden that too heavy for the state to shoulder alone.
“We are indeed open to discussions on the matter with the federal authorities beyond this forum,” he said.
Also speaking, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Adeleke Mamora, said the stakeholders’ engagement would chart a new way forward for the country to deepen, grow and develop its energy sector for sustainable national development, by harnessing its abundant renewable energy resources.
He added that the engagement will further offer opportunity for them to critically research and explore emerging technologies that wouldaddvalue to the nation’s economy.
Senator Mamora also said the current administration of President Mohammemd Buhari had provided the enabling environment for private investments in the energy sector, adding that government would continue to attach greater premium on energy research because of its importance on the economy.
He said Nigeria would continue to explore new ways to increase its renewable energy deployment in the quest to overcome the energy crises bedevilling the economy.
He assured that the federal government was committed to building the 30 megawatts hybrid pilot wind farm at Jaredi in Shagari local government area of the state and called all stakeholders to key in to it.
