JICA TO fund solar project with $10 Million.

Report from Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

Dateline: Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Water Board, Lower Usman Dam, Bwari.

The Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has concluded plans to fund a solar powered plant that will provide electricity for the treatment of water at the Lower Usman Dam in Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

Ambassador (Dr.) Godknows Igali 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.

“Renewable energy”, he said, “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, Ambassador 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, in fact, the agency has done superlatively well in training Nigerian technicians that would man the solar plant when completed.

When he was speaking on the project, the Minister of State (Power), Mohammed Wakil commended JICA for the lead in rural electrification in his home State Borno, adding that JICA has demonstrated firm commitment to complementing efforts of the Nigerian Government in critical areas.

He said, no doubt, this project when completed would help in solving the problem of epileptic power supply.  Wakil assured JICA that Nigeria will make good use of the project.

Earlier, the representative of the FCT, a Director in the Ministry, Engr. Jiniye Auto, assured that the project will neither be abandoned nor vandalized 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 utilized for the project, he said that, the high-point in the agreement is the provision for training of Nigerians that would operate the plant.

Engr. Abayomi Adebisi, Director in-charge of Renewable Energy at the Ministry stressed that the project will contribute to the rural economy of Bwari and its environ, as it will guarantee more reliable power when completed in December, 2015.

All the parties – Federal Ministry of Power, JICA, FCT, Water Board, Ministries of Water Resources and Environment, put pen to paper to sign the technical agreement, with a promise that the take-off date of May is sacrosanct.