…as Ogun industrial clusters hit five
As part of efforts to improve the nation’s gross domestic product through manufacturing, the Federal Government has pledged an adequate power supply within Agbara industrial cluster in the next four months.
The pledge to improve energy supply to Agbara industrial area and its environs is coming at a time when capacity of power generation in the country has hit 14,000 Megawatts due to the 700 MW contribution of Zungeru power plant in Niger State.
Speaking in Agbara, Ogun State at the Agbara Business Roundtable held on Thursday, Vice President Kashim Shettima assured investors of the determination of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration in ensuring adequate power supply across the country, especially in all the industrial clusters
Vice President Shettima, who said that Nigeria holds tremendous opportunities for not only investors but also the people, declared that the
event was held to launch an initiative to ensure dedicated power supply to industrial clusters across the country, starting with the Agbara Industrial Estate.
Shettima said that it is embarrassing that the Agbara Cluster relies on other sources of power supply aside from the national grid, adding that the Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) is committed to ensuring that clusters like Agbara benefit from a cheaper means of generating power in their various factories.
Read also: Touchdown: Revolutionising Nigeria’s travel industry with virtual reality
The Vice President, who is the Chairman of, Board of Directors of NDPHC, promised that the Agbara Industrial Estate would have a steady power supply in the next four months, hence, he directed NDPHC to double their effort by ensuring the delivery of the Agbara Industrial cluster power programme within three to four months.
He said, “I am here to reassure the business community that we mean business. I want to give you my word and my word is my bond, if you need 200 Megawatts, 300 Megawatts, we can give it to you.
“Be rest assured, we are going to supply your power needs with no strings attached. We are giving power to Togo, I think we are giving 100 Megawatts to Togo, and some of these nations are not even paying us. Why can’t we give to businesses that will pay us? It is just simple arithmetic; it is a matter of economics.
“It is all about advocacy, it is about people believing in you and I have the confidence of my boss, such that I can talk authoritatively. He is very passionate about the Nigerian project. He is very committed to repositioning this nation.
Earlier, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State said that his administration in Ogun State had established additional industrial clusters as the number of functioning industrial clusters in the State is now five, locating in all three Senatorial Districts that make up the State.
“We believe that such initiatives like this speak to ensuring the sustainability of competitive industrialization and one must not but salute this initiative.
“We as a state have gone ahead besides this Agbara Cluster, we have five other clusters. We have one by the Interchange called Remo Cluster, we are creating a new one called the Magboro Cluster. We are creating our own Aerotropolis which is our special agro-processing zone, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria. We also have the Ijebu-Ode cluster because we believe that it is through these clusters that we can jump-start socio-economic activity.
Read also: Boost for Nigeria’s décor industry as interior designers bridge knowledge gap
“These clusters, what do they seem to do, we provide the parcel of land, provide the needed infrastructure and this attracts industrial activities.
“But, without a doubt, without stable, reliable and clean power, all these initiatives will be in vain. So, to that extent, we are extremely excited,” he said.
Meanehile, Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State, who was represented by Obafemi Hamzat, his Deputy, regretted that out of about 13,000 Megawatts available, the country could only transmit 4,000 Megawatts.
“The issue of our power is complex and why it is complex is because of bad behaviour among all of us, the stakeholders, the distribution companies, generating companies.
“For me, the biggest challenge that we see in our country now is public commentary. We have a lot of people that go out there to just say things, demeaning our institutions and that is the biggest challenge.
“When the international community do surveys, they listen to your news and then you keep killing your country. The truth of the matter is that Lagos and Ogun states are safer than New York. The possibility of being shot in New York is higher than being in Lagos” he said.
