Weeks after Abia State commissioned its power generation plant, the Benue Government says it has set plans in motion to establish its own plant in order to boost socio-economic development in the state.
Politics Nigeria understands that the idea was conceived by the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) following federal government’s recent assent to a bill granting state governments access to own and manage their electricity companies.
The Managing Director of BIPC, Raymond Asemakaha, made this known at a meeting with a delegation of Remedy Earth at BIPC corporate headquarters in Makurdi.
He requested the electricity company to set up a pilot plant in Benue State.
Asemakaha stressed the need for the state to own a power generation plant that would transform the state and stimulate economic activities.
“For us we know that one of the things that stimulate the economy is when you have enough power. So we are looking for options to ensure that the state generates its power and share to its communities,” he said.
“We want them to do the plant here and test run it so we can know what they are capable of before we will engage them. Gone are the days that people tell stories, we want to see it before we can recommend them to the governor,” he said.
Earlier, the Remedy Earth delegation led by its regional head Africa, Peace Obichere, disclosed that the company was ready to execute the pilot plant for BIPC within nine months.
Obichere emphasized that the company had the manpower and technical know-how required to execute the project and would pull the resources to make the plant a reality.
