By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari has said the newly inaugurated 50-Megawatt Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP) project site in Borno is a testament to revitalizing the conflict-ridden Northeast region.
The 50MW emergency plant was built by the federal government through the Nigerian National Petroleum (NNPC) Limited in collaboration with Borno State Government.
The project, he said, will ensure access to affordable electricity that will, in turn, drive productivity in the region.
The Maiduguri Emergency Power Project is part of an incremental 4,000MW of power-generating assets that this administration embarked upon to improve the national power supply and stimulate economic growth.
He said the aggressive project strategy deployed to complete the project on schedule was a reflection of the federal government’s sensitivities in easing the plight of Nigerians, especially those recovering from the adverse impact of the insurgency in the Northeast region.
Mr Buhari said over the past few years, insurgents had attacked power supply lines along Maiduguri-Damaturu and Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu roads leading to acute power supply shortages in the city of Maiduguri and its environs, which crippled economic activities in the region.
President Buhari, in April 2021, directed the management of the NNPC Limited to restore power supply to Maiduguri and its environs.
Mr Buhari, while inaugurating the project, commended the NNPC on its purposeful response, following his directive to ensure the immediate restoration of reliable power supply to Maiduguri within the shortest possible time.
“I want to reassure Nigerians of the Federal Government’s resolve to continue to implement programmes, particularly in the power sector, that will deepen domestic gas utilisation, expand national power generation capacity, revitalise industries and create multiple jobs for economic growth.
“Therefore, today, I have the honour to inaugurate another power plant that is aimed at improving electricity supply to Nigerian homes- an integral part of the huge successes being recorded by the Presidential Power Initiative.
“I would like to direct the Ministry of Power and other relevant agencies, namely, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Transmission Company of Nigeria, etc., to continue to collaborate with the NNPC Ltd to ensure access to affordable electricity.
“I commend NNPC Ltd, the government, and the people of Borno State for this feat. I do hope that the undaunting spirit of the New NNPC Ltd will continue to engender affordable energy for Nigerians, not just for the immediate, but for the years ahead,” he said.
Modupe Gbadeyanka