The national grid system bill, one of the 16 constitutional amendments signed into law by the immediate past president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, presents a great opportunity for Kogi state.
Kogi state blessed with abundant coal deposits in many location, especially the Eastern flank. The state should cash in on this alteration in the 1999 constitution amendment, which removed electricity generation, transmission and distribution from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent list, thereby giving the State Houses of Assembly the lease to legislate on such matters, to begin the process of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electricity using this nature’s abundant gift to the people of the state.
Long before 1973, before the formation of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), under the Electricity Corporation, the entire Eastern Nigeria was powered by the Thermal Energy using coal (as transported from Enugu to Oji River power generation station).
Dangote cement factory in Obajana, Kogi state is relying solely on the coal deposits in Okaba and its environs to fire his plants, and with the intention to sell the excess of about 97 megawatts to the federal government through the national grid.
A state like Akwa Ibom has built it own power generation station using the abundant gas deposit in the state to generate electricity for both local consumption and export.
Kogi state should invest in this field and possibly enter into partnership with foreign investors to Generate, Transmit and Distribute electricity for local consumption and export to the national grid. In so doing, the state will be put on the pedestal of industrialization and generation of additional revenue.
Where a state is industrialised, employment opportunities are created for the teaming youth population of the state.
God bless the good people of Kogi State.
– Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon wrote from Lokoja.
