Northern governors, General Electric sign MOU for 5 power plants

November 28, 2016Premium Times

Left to Right: The Chairman, Northern States Governors' Forum, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, President/Chief Executive Officer, ‎General Electric, Nigeria, Lazarus Angbazo; General Electric's Senior Executive, Western Europe and Africa, Armand Pineda, the CEO, Northern Nigeria Global Economic Re-integration Programme, Tanimu Kurfi at the signing of MOU between General Electric and Northern Governors for the construction of five solar power plants in Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Nassarawa and Taraba States... which held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on Monday.

The Northern States Governors’ Forum and the General Electric ‎International, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, for the construction of five solar plants some parts of Northern Nigeria.

The plants are expected to generate 500 megawatts of electricity.

Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, signed the agreement on behalf of the ‎Governors, while General Electric’s Senior Executive, Western Europe and Africa, Armand Pineda, and the President/Chief Executive Officer, ‎General Electric, Nigeria, Lazarus Angbazo, signed on behalf of their company in a brief ceremony which held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Based on the MOU, the General Electric, which has 120 years experience in power generation, is to build five solar power plants to be located in Borno, Kebbi, Nassarawa, Niger and Taraba States.

Each of the plants is expected to generate 100 megawatts of electricity totaling 500 megawatts across the 5 States.

The electricity is meant to stimulate economic activities and social services in the affected States through boosting agricultural food processing, small scale businesses in addition to supplying electricity to schools and hospitals.

“The 19 Governors of the north jointly created this approach. We want to go beyond lamentation to provide solutions and we all know that power is key to industrial development.

“With power, we can create jobs, stimulate our economies and make life better for our people. The General Electric has over 120 years experience in energy solutions and they have been operating in Nigeria for over 50 years, we cannot have a better partner than GE.

“We shall do our part as Governors, this I will assure you. We are deeply committed to this agreement” Mr. Shettima said at the MOU signing ceremony.

The Northern Governors Chairman enumerated challenges of poverty, unemployment, and poor access to education, poor healthcare amongst other underdevelopment indications threatening the north.

He said power could provide a vehicle for the north to reposition itself for a better future.

The Northern Nigeria Global Economic Re-integration Programme, newly created by the Northern States Governors, is coordinating the project, which is a pilot phase.

According to a release by the spokesperson of the Borno Governor, Isa Gusau, the programme aims to serve as vehicle for the economic recovery of northern States through international relations on infrastructure, manufacturing, as well as to stimulate agricultural value chain and trade.

It also aims at making the region a global player in agricultural export in line with the vision of the late Premier of the Region, Ahmadu Bello.

The release also said the Governors Forum engaged the services of Tanimu Kurfi as Chief Executive Officer of the Programme.

Mr. Kurfi was the Chief Economic Adviser to late President Umaru Yar’adua and he has wide contact with leading development companies and financial institutions across the world.

Mr. Kurfi said he took up the challenge ‎put forward by the Northern Governors as a result of the strong passion and commitment to the aggressive development of the north so far shown by the Northern Governors since Mr. Shettima became the forum’s chairman in 2015.

Reaffirming their commitment to the MOU, General Electric’s Senior Executive, Western Europe and Africa, Mr. Pineda and the President/Chief Executive Officer, ‎General Electric, Nigeria, Dr. Angbazo both pledged that they would work round the clock to realize the project for the benefits of citizens of the five States.

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Peter_Edo

Make southerners dey dull, express go soon leave us!
- Rumournaire
  
  Exactly. Let southern wailers continue to insult the president and the north. The north is about the build a 1000km crude oil pipeline to import oil from Niger to Kaduna refinery. Now it is solar power. The north is gradually working its way to independence from the south. Wait for it: Within the next 5 years, the north will prefer to export their abundant foodstuff to other countries to generate forex. Then there will be food scarcity in the south – unless the south is willing to pay forex! Then the SS can drink their oil!!!!!
  - Peter_Edo
    
    hope it doesn’t get to that…
  - Victor
    
    Lolz. You are absolutely spot on. No worry, all our young men go pack go north to dey sell spare parts, medicines and provisions.
    - amazing2012
      
      You are not welcome !
  - Otile
    
    The North has been pursuing this pathway before the unfortunate amalgamation, yet their goal remains a pipe dream. There’s nothing to suggest that miracle will happen soon to leapfrog them to their utopia. Get real, man.
    - Rumournaire
      
      Wow! What a power of prejudice! It makes us unable to see and acknowledge those who have actually done better than us!
      
      I don’t know how old you are, but your post suggests to me that you are not only enough to grasp Nigeria’s full history. Let me remind you – in case you actually do know but have forgotten: In the sixties, the north was where it was happening. Remember that each region was self-sustaining. Each region developed itself with its resources, and the north was definitely not left behind. They had ICSA (Interim Common Services Agency) which maximised the region’s resources for the benefit of its people. As recently as 1980, the longest smooth highway with zero potholes in Nigeria was from Sokoto through Kano to Maiduguri – a distance of about 1,100km. You could drive on that road as fast as your car could move, and not turn your steering left or right for 20km. That road was not built with oil money. Ahmadu Bello University, Kano Airport, Kaduna Airport, Nigerian Defence Academy, the famous Barewa College, Government College Keffi, etc were not built with oil money. Remember the groundnut pyramids? After Lagos, Kano was the no.2 city in Nigeria in terms of business, followed by Kaduna. When did any airport in the eastern Nigeria achieve international status?
      
      The north is as much a victim of the oil boom as the rest of the country. They abandoned the things that made them great, and now they are about to retrace their steps. Remember that oil is only a means to an end. When the chips are down, what matters is whether you have food to eat or not. I assure you, a time will come when those who have oil will beg those who have food to accept their oil in exchange for food. Remain prejudiced. Keep insulting the north. In your lifetime you will see that they are not as dumb as you think!
      
      Warmest regards!
      - John Oputa
        
        And they still want to remain one Nigeria? Since they champion while not allow everybody to answer they papa name
      - Rumournaire
        
        They would be happy to remain in one Nigeria, but their elites would also be prepared for full federalism. If you listened to their elite leaders in recent times, they have started to see that the present Nigerian arrangement may not be sustained. Did you catch a statement by Atiku late last year, when he told his fellow northern leaders that fiscal federalism is the way to go? Yes, Atiku said it. Southerners do not fully realise the import of that statement. Effectively, Atiku was calling for a return of the sixties. But I assure you, the South would pay a whole lot more for yams, beef, onions, tomatoes, etc. If you are a Kano farmer growing onions and tomatoes, and you could earn $$$ by exporting your produce to Niger, why would you want to export it to Lagos?
      - amazing2012
        
        You too go and develop your region, did anybody stop you ? Yes one or hundred nigeria, go and develop your region. Jonathan served for many years and failed to develop his region, could that be the fault of the north ?
      - Nelson Cole
        
        Sir I have been saying this for ages! The Northerners that we derisively refer to as “Aboki” are actually very intelligent, smart and the most strategic! Events are proving me right. Politically savvy they ruled, economically perceptive they plan, relationally understanding they unite. Now they will generate their own power, provide their own food, develop their own refinery, while we continue to blame, abuse and despise them. I pity us down south, these people are Strategic!
      - amazing2012
        
        You give my end of the gift ! But please stop telling those mugus, let them be surprised !!
    - amazing2012
      
      Hahahahahaha !
- FormerlyAPC
  
  Anything built on deceit does not last. The northerners have used your sweat and resources from the south to build Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Lagos. In the fullness of time, you will see what will happen to those infrastructures.
  But Peter Edo et al., people like you fanned the ember of dullness. The northerner will put dispute between Edo and Delta, Igbo against Ijaw, Urhobo against Itsekiri, Igbo against every other tribe in the south. You will be feeding free on such hatred, fighting yourselves while they’re building up the north. I’m sure if blowing up pipelines had involved some edifice in Abuja, they would have thought twice.
  They say that if you carry a crying child, no matter how you pacify him, after sleeping he will start looking for the mama. Now oil production and transport to the north is decreasing, the north has remembered their brothers across the border, shine your eyes!!! Ask yourself, since Kaduna refinery has not been producing for ages, what happened to all the oil that’s usually pumped to that place? Shine your eyes.
  - Burbank
    
    ” The northerner will put dispute between Edo and Delta, Igbo against Ijaw, Urhobo against Itsekiri, Igbo against every other tribe in the south.”
    
    And yet even your Wike supported Ali Modu Sheriff as your PDP boss!
Rommel

Our people should go on blowing up pipelines and rioting for BIAFRA while the serious ones are taking steps to improve their lot,the first shall indeed one day become the last,was it not so written in the holy book?
Okokondem

The same problem that plagued the successful secession of the former eastern region nearly 50 years ago, the unfounded fear and distrust of the Igbos expressed by other tribes in the region largely still exists till today. So while other sections or REGIONS collaborate and plan to develop their regions, the east remains mired in fruitless struggle for ethnic identity. The Ijaws want Ijaw nation. The Kalabari wants theirs, etc. all to satisfy their resentment towards the Igbos.

The Nigeria train will leave eastern REGION behind.
- FormerlyAPC
  
  Okokondem I thought you are dead. What is this story got to do with the secession attempt of Igbos or any other tribe for that matter. The states of California and Texas in the USA are still collecting signatures to conduct referendum to secede, nobody has said anything. Quebec in Canada still wants to separate, nobody is beating them back into Canada. Why are people so-filled with hatred for one another?
  It does appear that some of you with cretin minds are only fulfilled when Igbos are being bashed or what? Northern Governors getting together to get their states electrified, instead of you to praise them and encourage other state governors to do same, you are talking of resentment. You will die of hypertension over nothing just take life easy ooo.
  - Burbank
    
    When will you submitted those separatist petition signatures to your Govs Wike Seriake Obiano etc for their approval?
    - amazing2012
      
      Add to that , did any body stop Igbos from actualizing their sucession plan ? The road is free, tell your people to resign, pack their loads and go to develop their cursed land (Evil forest) ! No body will stop them on the road.
      - Burbank
        
        Like your biafra Asari already did in Cotonou!
- Kñîghtš Tëmpłær
  
  You not making any sense…
GusO

Hopefully, GE will deliver, but history shows that Western things are too expensive and they don’t deliver as planned. How much will it cost?
Burbank

Another lost employment opportunity and another lost power supply generation to the Niger Delta.

Had the bombers there ceased turning Niger Delta into a war zone, General Electric might had set-up some production plants there as well. Alas.
Decimator

So far the should be Arewa Nation being built pays for these projects(Oil pipeline from their ancestral Niger Republic, Solar power plant and even more to come) with their own sweat, everything is perfect and highly welcomed. May be through that their long thirst for oil as the only source of revenue will reduce and peace and normalcy will return to the other Nations emanating from the present Nigerian enclave.

They should just not incur a 30 billion dollar loan as being proposed by their Jihadist president Mohammadu Buhari, to the indebtedness of the entire populace of the present Nigerian enclave to establish their Arewa Nation. That’s all.

Ever becoming clearer that there is no Nation called Nigeria. Those who keep ignoring the warning signs will wake up one day to become citizens of an un-existing Nation.
igboham

I like this news and I hope the North will formally declare her independence from Nigeria soon. They have it all including the conquered territory of Biafra which they will relinquish on their timetable. We wait.