215 Mw Kaduna Power Plant Will Revive Ailing Textile Industry – Fashola

—— Contractors Committed To Realization Of Project On Schedule

The hope of resolving age-long problem of access to constant electricity that has crippled the once bubbling Textile Industry in Kaduna will come alive again, as the Federal Government has affirmed its commitment to the completion of the power project on schedule.

Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who undertook working inspection of the project with Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, said that what is needed now more than ever before is harder work from us all, as issues of non-payment of invoices since 2013 will be solved with the 2016 budget. He added that the budget had captured resources to be paid contractors who are already back on site.

He said with over 150 workers in the employment of companies handling the project “these people will earn money that would enable them pay fees for their children and also provide food on their tables”.

On the request by the contractors for government intervention in the clearance of goods for the project, Fashola assured them that this administration would do everything possible to ensure that the 40 containers held up at the sea port are cleared.

Briefing the Minister on the status of the project, Engr. Briskila Sapke, the Director in the ministry and supervisor of the project said the Dual Fired LPFO/Gas plant will come upstream, as the 2 units is scheduled for completion by 1^st quarter of 2017, which will add 30MW to the grid, while all the 8 units will become operational by the end of 2017.

Speaking at the site, Governor Ahmed El-Rufai said that the Kudandan  Power Project is very important to the economy of the state as the centre of Textile Industry in the country, in which lack of access to power supply had crippled the hitherto vibrant industry.

Hence, his Government will do all it can to revive the collapsed industry, which in a way would solve the problem of unemployment and youth restiveness.

The governor recalled that previous unrest which engulfed the sState was partly due to the closure of many of the textile companies located in Kaduna state.

”As a responsible government, we cannot but ensure that the Kaduna State Government is interested in the completion of the plant”, it only relaxed on the credit line of N7.5billion it has secured from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for the completion of the project, adding that his Government will not mind to revive the loan if there would be need to do so because the project is owned by the Federal Government

Timothy Oyedeji

Director, Press