Alaoji Power station in Abia State is to set to pump in 834 megawatts into the National grid to shore up the power needs of the country, and revive ailing industries in the South East and neighbouring states.
This disclosure was made by former governor of Anambra State and Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Chris Ngige while delivering a paper on ‘Random thoughts for South East economic development at the Enugu International trade fair at the weekend’
Ngige is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on power also announced that, at the instance of his committee, the Senate has provided in the year 2012 budget, a comprehensive study and grading of the coal deposits in the South East, Benue Trough and the Gombe axis in the North East so as to explore thermal power alternatives’which supplies 90 percent of the electricity needs of South Africa’
According to Sen. Ngige, the Senate Commiteee on Power will assess the progress of work in the Alaoji site immediately after Easter clebrations, to ensure the programme does not lose any time from original schedule.
The Senate Committee on Power recently placed the project back on track, by recovering power generation equipment illegally auctioned at the Ports and returned them to Alaoji, for the on-going Independent Power Project (IPP).
The brainstorming session organised by Darchis and Dromidas a company dealing in health products manufactured in Korea, conferred commemorative awards and plank on the leader of South Korea merit awards on the Ann.
Ngige spoke at an occasion where the Former Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief Sam Egwu, who chaired the event, declared that if Biafra had succeeded, as a nation, its economy would have been at par with that of South Korea.
But Ngige warned that the economic development of the South east would not be possible, until there is a political structuring of Nigeria, insisting that ‘ the Southwest wants restructuring to true federation and return to regionalism, but the South east needs it more’, adding that every Igbo man should rise and support the restructuring of the country to devolve functions and economic power back to the regions.
Tracing the relationship of the South EAST Nigeria economy with that of South Korea, to the admiration of the Korean ambassador, Ngige relived memories of the Eastern Region economy ld by Dr Michael Okpara which as at the time Korea came to take palm seedlings from the region for their experiment was the fastest growing economy in the world.
He however regretted that the disappearance of the strong federations has made every unit in the country to go to Abuja begging , leaving Nigeria with only four viable states of Lagos, Rivers, Delta and Kano. He however noted that the constitution review committee of the National Assembly in which he represents Anambra State is geared towards shoring up the viability of the federation units.
Sen. Ngige’s, who pointedly challenged the governors in the South East to come together and form a South East Development Commission, that will raise the infrastructure profile of South EAST Nigeria, proposed that the federating units should bee the Six geopolitical units of the country, which has not been conferred with constitutional recognition, noting that that is also an use for consideration at the Senate.
Responding to issues raised by ace movie icon, Pete Edochie, on the need to revamped the Oji Power Project, Se. Ngige explained ‘while Oji Power Station used to supply the whole South East in the Eastern region, a revived Oji plant may not be able to supply Enugu town alone, because of growth in power needs over the years which is the reason we have commissioned a study of coal deposits and their grades to adopt a more holistic approach to exploring coal as an alternative.’
Chairman of Hardis& Dromedas, organisers of the event, Dr Chike Obidigbo, while welcoming guests who included Nigeria’s first female Governor, and another former Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Dame Virgy Etiaba and Movie icon, Pete Edochie paid glowing tribute to Korea for advancing their technology and for being reputed with quality products.
Awards were conferred at the occasion on Head of the Korean army, the Korean ambassador to Nigeria and the distinguished customers of the company at the occasion
