• Wednesday, April 24, 2024
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Sokoto IPP: Minister assures FG will address pending issues

Tambuwal

The Federal Government has pledged to resolve all outstanding issues that were responsible for stalling the take-off of the Sokoto State Independent Power Plant (IPP).

Since its inception in 2008, the IPP has been bogged down by lack of gas to power it, dearth of investors and, most recently, the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in substantial economic drawback.

Nonetheless, the Federal Government is now set to partner with the state government to ensure the smooth take-off of the project which, according to the state Commissioner for Energy, Aliyu Balarabe Dandin-Mahe, currently requires an additional N2 billion to make it functional.

According to the Commissioner, the incumbent administration of Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has spent an additional sum of N1.7 billion on the project prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, just as some investors had indicated interest in investing in the project. However, the incursion of the pandemic hasn’t made it possible for the thrusts to come to fruition.

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But all these will soon come to an end as the Minister of Power, Mamman Kwagyang Saleh, has indicated that the Federal Government will bring its might to bear in ensuring that all the obstacles to the successful take-off of the project are surmounted.

“I received the Governor of Sokoto State, His Excellency Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in my office at the Power House earlier today (Tuesday). We discussed issues relating to electricity supply in Sokoto State. I assured him that the relevant agencies shall address any pending issues immediately,” the minister stated.