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Engineer Sule seeks further collaboration with FCT on infrastructure, security

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has solicited for further collaboration with the FCT administration for a metroline from Apo to Keffi, as well as partnering to build the 13,000 hectares Gurku/Kabusu mega city that is only 5km away from Maitama 2.

Engineer Sule made this known when he paid a working visit on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike in his office on Friday.

The Governor expressed optimism that with the Gurku/Kabusu project, Nasarawa State and the FCT could collaborate to build another Kigali or Dubai, that would be the pride of all and sundry.

Pressing in further, Engineer Sule made it known to the FCT Minister that close to 40% of those working in the FCT live in Nasarawa State.

“In Nasarawa State, about 5km away from Maitama 2, we do have about 13,000 hectares of land. It is an initiative of the previous Governor. It is in Gurku/Kabusu area. We can jointly build another Kigali, another Dubai; We can’t do it alone, we can only do it with FCT and build a clean city that everybody will look up to,” he said.

On the Apo-Keffi metroline, the Governor recalled that his administration had earlier approached the immediate past FCT minister, where Nasarawa State made agreed to fulfill its part of the bargain regarding the construction of the metroline linking Apo to Keffi.

“We discussed with the previous minister that whatever it is, we don’t want free meal. Nasarawa State would bring its own part of the bargain. What would link Apo to Keffi and we have even initiated and met with CCECE that are willing. We also met with a Russian company that is willing. And with that, we said we are more than happy to come jointly with the FCT to be able to develop that. Once we develop that, again it would open up another area of land administration for housing for us, not only for Nasarawa State but for the FCT,” he stated.

Engineer Sule used the opportunity of the visit to thank the FCT for initiating work from the Abacha Barracks all the way to the border between Nasarawa State and the FCT.

He however said that the expectation is that the work would extend to Masaka, especially that his administration has already fulfilled its part of the bargain by collapsing all the 22 motor parks causing gridlock on the Abuja-Keffi road and building the Sani Abacha Mega Bus Terminal with 900 vehicles capacity.

He assures the FCT Minister that his administration would provide the necessary security towards ensuring that there is no encroachment on both sides of the road.

Engineer Sule lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Wike as FCT Minister, expressing hope that Wike would replicate the exceptional performance he demonstrated during his two-term governorship of Rivers State, particularly in the area of infrastructure development.

“I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to come in because we are your biggest neighbour, we are the ones next to you, we are the ones that will always feel what you feel here in the FCT and we believe we should be among the first to come and congratulate you.

“We have no doubt in our minds that the FCT needs a person like you. I have told you in private, I have told you in the open that anybody can say whatever they want to say. One thing they can never take away from you is that, indeed, you are Mr. Project among all the governors in Nigeria during our time,” he added.

Responding, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike underscored the need to deepen cross -border ties and enhance development, between the FCT and Nasarawa State especially on infrastructure and security.

Wike reiterated the readiness of the FCT administration to collaborate with Nasarawa government on their request to work on the Abacha road-Keffi and the Metroline from Apo to Keffi.

He however emphasized that any project he would initiate would be based on available funds to guard against having additional uncompleted projects.

The Minister announced plans to convene a security meeting involving the neigbouring states of Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna and Kogi, with a view to addressing prevailing security challenges.

“One of the problems we have here, I must tell you is the problem of award of contracts without conclusion. Metroline from Apo to Keffi is key, but very expensive.We will discuss further with you.

“I’m trying to see how we can arrange a meeting between neighbouring states and FCT, so that we can put our heads together and get a system that we can see how we can tackle insecurity, because we cannot do it alone. So people like you, I think will make sure that the renewed hope agenda of the President can be achieved. Be assured that together we will work together, and make sure that the problem is tackled or reduced to the barest minimum.

”You are the first elected Governor that has come to pay us a courtesy call.The role of Nasarawa state as regards the development of the FCT cannot be overemphasized. FCT is at the centre; we have boundaries with Niger, Kogi, Kaduna and Nasarawa states. But of all the states, Nasarawa is the biggest, and very close to us. So, I assure you that we could work together for the development of FCT and Nasarawa State ” Wike stated.

In what is seen as a bold move towards replacing petrol with gas, Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has performed the groundbreaking for a two million dollars LNG and L-CNG facility in Shabu area of Lafia, the state capital.

Engineer Sule performed the groundbreaking breaking ceremony for Greenville LNG and L-CNG facility, on Wednesday.

In a speech during the event, the Governor expressed optimism that Greenville, owned by private investors, is bringing alternative and cheaper energy sources, especially at a time when the cost of petrol is soaring higher following the removal of fuel subsidy.

He particularly expressed hope that the gas project will lead to the convertion of petrol engines to gas, especially for heavy-duty trucks, as well as smaller vehicles such as commercial motorcycles.

The Governor mentioned how countries like Brazil are exploiting clean energy to drive their economies.

He used the opportunity of the event to speak on what his administration put on ground to evolve synergy between Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which is making it possible for private investors to come into the state to invest their money.

“We came in and met two situations on ground. The first situation is that a lot of land have been bought by investors who were looking for certificate of occupancy in order for them to be able to go and raise money from the banks in order to expand the businesses and employ our people but they didn’t get it.

“Secondly, we had a lot of people, indigenes of Nassarawa State that have bought so many lands and were waiting for certificates so that they can be able to access small loans here and there and to be able to carry on their businesses but they couldn’t get.

“That is the reason why in the past four years, I spent sleepless nights in checking the documents and signing the certificates so that our people will be able to go about their businesses.

“These are the two basic reasons driving me to sign these certificates. In fact, this particular certificate that I gave right now, I only signed it yesterday along with 300 other certificates,” he stated.

Engineer Sule spoke on how his administration went through a lot to sign an agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for the effective utilization of the available gas resources in the state.

“We had a summit that attracted companies like Greenville to come in and see the opportunities that we have in Nasarawa State. We had the various agencies, we had what we call the Ease of Doing Business for these various MDAs to come together to understand that to attract investment you need to be able to provide the environment that is there,” he added.

On his part, the Managing Director of Greenville LNG, Ritu Sahajwalla, who was represented at the event by the Director of Administration of the company, Joseph Oyadoyin, pointed out that the project will further crystalize the industrialization drive of Governor Sule as it will bring more in investment to the state.

“Our project will bring numerous benefits to the host community, starting with the creation of employment opportunities. We understand the importance of job creation and economic empowerment, and we have tried to contribute to the further crystallization of investments in this area,” the MD said.

Sahajwalla said the recent derrugulation of the petroleum industry has emphasized the urgent need for alternative and cleaner energy sources, with the timing for his company’s LNG and L-CNG apt as it provides a solution to the high petrol prices that is burdening the common man, ensuring stability and affordability of gas.

“You can convert your small generator. You can use the LNG to power it. Then your vehicle that is using petrol based on the capacity, through conversion kit, you can use LNG to power the vehicle,” he added.

Sahajwalla disclosed that the company will establish another facility in Karu Local Government Area after the completion of the first project in Lafia.

Earlier, in a welcome address, Managing Director/CEO, Nasarawa Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the two million US dollars investment by Greenville LNG is the first of its kind in the North Central region of the country and has 23 metric tonnes capacity of LNG and 1,500 SCM of L-CNG.

Abdullahi added that the project will usher in the introduction of LNG and LCNG usage for heavy-duty trucks as well as smaller vehicles such as automobiles and Keke NAPEP in the region as fuel prices has skyrocketed since the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May.

The NASIDA MD described the groundbreaking as a testimony of Engineer Sule’s vision to industrialize Nasarawa State.

“Nigeria is a gas producing country distracted by oil production. Today, with the groundbreaking of this facility, you are ushering in the development of a major facility that will help in promoting clean energy and add up to Nigeria’s quest for a just energy transition,” he said.

The ceremony witnessed the official handover of the certificate of occupancy for the project which was facilitated by the NASIDA, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nasarawa State Government and Greenville LNG in November last year