11 March 2014, Abuja – Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Water Board, Lower Usman Dam, Bwari and the Japanese International Co-operation Agency, JICA have concluded plans to fund a $10 million solar powered plant. The plant will provide electricity for the treatment of water at the Lower Usman Dam in Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, disclosed this last week in Abuja. He said that the project is dear to Nigerians, because of its operational efficiency for the treatment plant, also as it would make power available to the people in the area.
Igali said the renewable energy holds the greatest value to humanity, as the raw material is abundantly available in the country.
While commending the Government and people of Japan for the pilot scheme, Igali said the project has shown that it is possible to harness God-given gift through solar-powered energy source, for the benefit of Nigerians.
He said that JICA has also done well for Nigeria in the area of rural electrification, Water Resources, Environment, adding, “in fact the agency has done superlatively well in training Nigerian technicians that would man the solar plant when completed.”
Speaking on the project, the Minister of State (Power), Hon. Mohammed Wakil, commended JICA for the lead in rural electrification in his home State Borno. He added that JICA has demonstrated firm commitment to complementing efforts of the Nigerian Government in critical areas.
He said the project when completed would help in solving the problem of epileptic power supply, and that Nigeria will make good use of the project.
Earlier, the representative of the FCT, a director in the Ministry, Mr. Jiniye Auto, assured that the project will neither be abandoned nor vandalised when completed, as the FCT will protect the project.
The Country Representative of JICA, Seki Tetsuo, assured Nigerians, that the grant-in-aid given by the Government of Japan will be judiciously utilised for the project, he said that, the high-point in the agreement is the provision for training of Nigerians that would operate the plant.
– Vanguard