25 October 2011, Sweetcrude, Kaduna – Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa has flagged off the construction of a 50 megawatt Solar Farm in Kduna.
The project is being spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Environment in partnership with Synergent Power Share Nigeria Limited.
With the project, the state has emerged the first in the country to take a concrete step in embracing renewable energy solution in tackling the country’s perennial power problem.
Flagging off the project along the Airport Road in Kaduna, the governor appreciated the Minister of Environment, Hadeja Ibrahim Malafia for building the project in the state.
“Let me thank you for this 50mw Solar Farm that is going to be built here. I thank you also for the assurance that this is going to be done within record time and that the neighbouring communities in
Igebi local government area will immediately begin to benefit. Honourable Minister, you are already contributing towards the achievement of many of the objectives of President Goodluck Jonathan, in the transformation of our great country,” he said.
Yakowa said the project would generate employment for many people especially the youths, who would be required to perform one task or the other when the construction starts.
He assured the project developers, Synergent Nigeria Limited, that all the necessary documents required would be processed speedily.
“What we are supposed to do as a state is to provide the enabling environment for projects like this to take off. And we are committed towards that”, he assured.
Earlier in her address, the Minister of Environment, Hadeja Ibrahim Malaifa, said the 50MW Solar Farm in Kaduna was one of many projects under the auspices of the Renewable Energy Programme Unit of the Ministry.
She stated that the farm would generate electricity from the abundant energy from the sun, which would feed the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Air Force Base among others.
“I am saying that the project on completion is going to supply so much that even institutions and government establishments will have surplus energy. Additionally, the project will qualify as a CDM project eligible for Carbon credit which Kaduna State would earn and in effect earn income on it”, she said.
She noted that the issue of climate change and global warming should no longer be wished away by anyone.
Chairman of Synergent, Dr. Ala Atubokiki, in address presented by the Managing Director, Mr. Godwin Ebolo, pledged to complete the project in record time.
Atubokiki added that the pilot project would deliver not only clean and affordable energy but would also serve as “a catalyst for the creation of several associated small and medium scale enterprises, which will in turn create thousands of job opportunities for all Nigerians resident in Kaduna state and its environs”.
