Cross River Earmarks N100m to Generate Electricity from Boreholes

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Cross River State Government has announced the sum of N100 million as a research grant to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the generation of electricity from boreholes.

This was announced by the Governor of the state, Mr Ben Ayade, over the weekend, explaining that the project would be jointly undertaken by NASENI and the state-owned Cross River State University.

The Governor, while playing host to the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Mr Muhammed Haruna, said the time has come for the agency to develop a holistic framework to launch Nigeria into the global engineering map.

“NASENI is an agency that is responsible for the science and engineering infrastructure. We must begin to truly develop engineering infrastructure in this country.

“It is a shame that as a country we still import spare parts, it is a shame that you have to take a man from a temperate climate who does not have sun, who is always in the cold to come and tell us how to use our sunlight.

“What a shame that you have crude oil under your earth, yet it takes somebody who comes from a country that does not have oil to tell you how to dig it out, more shameful that you do not even know how to use it. You have to send it out,” he said.

Mr Ayade urged NASENI to set up an office in Calabar, pledging to support with vehicles, office space and a piece of land for a permanent office building.

“We are providing in collaboration with the University of Cross River, the sum of N100 million for the development and generation of electricity from boreholes. I want to also challenge you that from this same N100 million, you should generate electricity for CalasVegas from the Calabar River.

“This is going to be our (Cross River State) patent because the research is being financed by us in collaboration with NASENI.

“So, together, we will hold the baton to be able to ensure that every single home has electricity from simply just taking water from the ground, using that water to move a turbine and the turbine generates electricity and the electricity pumps back the water from the borehole and recirculate,” the Governor stated.

On his part, Mr Haruna assured that NASENI will collaborate with the Cross River Government in its industrialisation drive while appealing to the governor to market the agency to other state governors.

“Your Excellency, be our ambassador, convince your colleagues that what we are doing in NASENI is very important to them.

“We commend you for the massive agricultural and infrastructural investment in Cross River State. You are turning things around, we offer to collaborate with you because it is within our mandate to collaborate with states.

“Most importantly we are willing to work with the private sector in the state to establish manufacturing concerns that are technology-oriented and will generate local employment,” the NASENI boss said.