Obaseki inaugurates committee to generate 1,000MW, develop human capacity

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has inaugurated a six-man Joint Development Committee to implement the Edo Electrifying Initiative for electricity generation, transmission and distribution in the state.
This is sequel to the meeting the governor held in Benin on Thursday with the Siemens Power and Gas Ltd to generate 1,000Mega Watt of electricity in the state.
Obaseki said that the committee would help to undertake a study of the Edo power requirement and come up with a road map for a GIS study which the state would undertake.
“The committee is expected to come up with human development programmes that will cut across the primary, secondary and tertiary level.
“The committee will look at ways to help Edo improve its transportation infrastructure.
“The committee will also advise and direct appropriate attention to areas where corporate interventions should be undertaken and also drive the entrepreneur initiative to support all the matters listed above,’’ Obaseki said.
He said that the project was expected to kick start before the end of the first-quarter of the year.
The governor listed members of the committee to include, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere as chairman, Mr Igbinedu Ineh and Mr Charles Ahigbe and three members which the Siemens Gas and Power Ltd would nominate.
He explained that the committee was to summit report on a fortnight basis on its level of progress.
In her response, the Managing Director of the Siemens Power and Gas Company, Mrs Onyeche Tiffashe, appreciated the governor for agreeing to partner the company on power project.
She said that the project, apart from increasing power generation in the state would also train human capacities that would utilise the power.
Tiffashe also listed names of three members of her company to serve as members of the committee.
Also, Azura Power West Africa Limited (“Azura”), a subsidiary of Amaya Capital Limited (“Amaya”), is proposing the construction of the Azura
-Edo Independent Power Plant (“IPP”) in Edo.
The proposed site for the project is located in the north-eastern outskirts of Benin.