The Federal Government has signed an agreement with American firm, Missouri American Energy for the construction of 250 mega watt power plant in Nigeria.
Government said it was optimistic over the quick completion of the project due to its relatively small capacity.
Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, who signed on behalf of the Nigerian government, described the planned injection of 250mw into the national grid by energy firm as a great and feasible feat.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo
He noted that when compared with larger power projects, it would provide energy quicker and boost the provision of power nation-wide.
He said government “are desirous of access to power, that is, Nigerians are hungry for its supply, as such, ready to swallow any amount of energy offered to us”.
According to him, the company’s citing of the gas-fired plant in Rivers State, a hub for gas was a welcome development, as it would eliminate the threat of vandalism to its plant given the people’s receptive attitude towards public assets.
The Minister called for investment in such smaller quantum to enable the country quickly realize its vision of “access to power-for-all” and further advised the company to catch-in on the provisions of the Africa Power Initiative of President Obama as well as liaise with General Electric (GE) for the purpose of firming up a buy-in into its recently launched sponsorship programme for investors in the power sector.
He reiterated his team’s dogged passion in the actualization of the power sector’s vision of “electricity for all Nigerians in the shortest possible time”, and assured the company and other would-be investors of every necessary support in the realization of their goals for the sector.
Earlier, the President of Missouri American Energy, Henry Iwenofu, had called for government’s collaboration in facilitating the execution of the first phase of its project in the country, adding that the consortium was already discussing with development partners with the view to ensuring seamless execution of other phases of the project.
Source : Independent