Adamawa, other Northeast states to get coal, solar power plants

The six states of the North East are each to get a coal or solar power plant in response to poor power supply from existing sources.

The governors of the six states disclosed the plan on Saturday after their 9th regional meeting, which took place in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

The governors, who regularly meet under the auspices of the North East Governors Forum (NEGF), said in a communiqué after their Yola meeting that they arrived at the joint decision to own independent power plants because of the quality of the electricity that they currently have.

They said they had opted for 60MW coal or 50MW solar power plants.

Reading the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues after a closed-door session, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State said NEGF, which frowns at “the poor energy situation in the region,” had decided to mitigate the situation by resolving to work with Shanghai Electric to construct 60MW coal or 50MW solar power plants in each state of the region.

The communique, which was signed by the chairman of NEGF and Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, also lamented the condition of federal roads in the North East states, stating: “Forum is continuously disturbed about the poor infrastructural base of the region. The Forum is more concerned that the federal roads within and between the states in the region have been neglected. Poor road network is fueling insecurity, stalling development, and making life more difficult for our people in the region.”

NEGF urged the Federal Ministry of Works to implement the road contracts awarded in the region and called on the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to help “remove the encumbrances and find more practical ways to intervene on these roads.”

Concerning the rail system, the communique said the entire North East has no functional rail line, saying: “The repair on the old gauge rail lines is not useful and sustainable technology. Forum calls for inclusion of the region in the Nigerian National Railway Transport Plan using modern gauge rail.”

The communiqué disclosed a plan by the governors to hold a regional trade fair in Bauchi early in 2024.

“Forum notes with appreciation the readiness of the Bauchi State Government to host the North East Regional Trade Fair between February 26 and March 3, 2024, and calls on all the subnational entities within the region to actively participate in the fair while inviting the nation, Africa, and the world to come and experience the rich culture, tourism potential, hospitality, and economic opportunities that abound in the region,” the communique stated.

The North East governors resolved at the Saturday meeting in Yola to hold their 10th meeting in Bauchi on a day between February 23 and March 26, 2024.