KATSINA WIND POWER PROJECT READY SOON - Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the novel 10 megawatts Rimi Wind Mill power project in Katsina State will soon be ready for inauguration. The president made the statement on Thursday evening when he inspected the project located in Rimi Local Government Area of the state. Jonathan, who was conducted round the project by government officials and consultants, said that the Federal Government would ensure that the project was completed and put to use. The officials had told the president that the power project, the first of its kind in West Africa, was 90 per cent complete and would be ready for inauguration in three months. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that fund for the completion of the project was captured in the 2014 budget. NAN also learnt that the project was stalled for some months in 2012 following the kidnap of one of the consultants. The president, who was on a two-day state visit to Katsina State, was hosted to a banquet by Gov. Ibrahim Shema. During the dinner held at Banquet Hall of the newly inaugurated Katsina State Government House, Jonathan said that the Federal Government would construct a dry port in Daura. He said that the Federal Ministry of Transport had already initiated discussions with the state government on the project. Jonathan also said that the Federal Government had awarded contract for the first phase of the Kano-Katsina road to terminate at Yankamaye, a border community, to make it a dual carriageway. He said that contract for the second phase of the expansion of the road to Katsina township would soon be awarded. The president said that certificate of ``no objection’’ had been raised by the Bureau of Public Procurement for the award of contract for the feasibility study on the Kano-Bichi- Katsina rail line. He said that the administration had done a lot in the area of agriculture in the state. ``Here in Katsina, in 2013, 210,000 farmers benefitted from the Federal Government Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in partnership with the Katsina State Government. ``As part of the agricultural transformation agenda, I launched the dry season farm support programme to further increase our food production and stimulate jobs for the youth. ``In 2013, 3,300 rice farmers from Katsina State benefitted from the dry season rice farming support of the Federal Government with free seeds and subsidised fertilisers. ``The impact was dramatic, as Katsina State rice farmers produced a record 13,000 tonnes of paddy rice and created over 6,000 jobs,’’ he said. The president said that Katsina State was the largest producer of cotton in Nigeria, adding that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would support the revival of cotton production in partnership with the state government. He said that over 65,000 cotton farmers in the state were revived with financial support by the Federal Government. He commended Shema for sustaining the legacy of the late President Umaru YarAdua who was also a governor in the state for eight years. ``If he were here today, I have no doubts that he would be impressed with the visible transformation that is taking place throughout the length and breadth of this state. ``Gov. Shema and his able team deserve commendation, not only for initiating new projects but also for ensuring the completion of all the projects initiated by late YarAdua, who by providence was his, and also my own predecessor in office,’’ he said. (NAN)
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:30:21 +0000