(Ecofin Agency) - The Government of Cross River has concluded plans to construct a 2 MW multi-fuel power plant in each of the 18 local councils of the State. The State Governor, Ben Ayade (photo) who disclosed this, said the move is aimed at boosting electricity supply in the rural communities of the State.

“I have 18 local government areas and it is my commitment to ensure that every council and village has electricity under my watch,” he said.

According to him, the plants would combine renewable and non-renewable energy sources as the state is “considering the option of using solar for the day and gas fire for the night.” “We are trying to have an industrial setting where we will actually be dealing with power supply and solar base systems to stranded communities,” the governor added.

The project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2019, will be executed in partnership with Industrial Project Services SA Ltd, a South African company. “This will be the first solar power project to be undertaken in South-South Nigeria at a commercial scale. Once this succeeds, it means that we would have opened the door to the real big market of Africa which is Nigeria and if you have the Nigerian market, Africa will simply follow,” Ayade explained.

Anita Fatunji