World Bank to spend $60m on projects in Edo
The new World Bank Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly disclosed this during a visit to the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the Government House in Benin City, just as the state government revealed plans for two 450Mw Independent Power Projects totaling 900Mw to be sited in the state to boost the nation’s power generation.
According to Francoise Marie-Nelly, “since the state’s policies are very clearly laid out, we have received the go-ahead to proceed. I will like to mention that the amount has been slightly reduced in our discussion with the government because the amount that was approved in the national budget plan is $60 million”, she noted.
According to her, “we had contemplated having $75 million, but I think what is important is to start doing something. So Mr. Governor, I am pleased to visit you just three weeks after coming to Nigeria and I look forward to start visiting the project sites to see the achievements.
“I think there is a reason why Edo is the first State that I’m visiting, first of all my team informed me that there is a dialogue that has developed between the World Bank and Edo State on the achievements you have made. I have done my homework before coming and I have noticed that Edo state’s social indicators are above the national average”, she noted.
According to her, “I would like to commend you on your performance and to encourage you to continue because you can certainly do even more”.
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who said he has been able to make a bold statement that Edo State can work despite its lean resources noted that there are lots of challenges which government has not been able to address, but however assured that he would sustain the on-going urban renewal projects.
“We admit that we have not been able to fix even ten percent of the problems of the state, but we have been able to show that the state can work”, he added.
He noted that the state has the largest gas deposit in the country and that plans are on to make the state the energy hub of the country. He also disclosed that work is ongoing on a 450Mw Independent Power Plant in the state while plans are afoot for another 450Mw power plant, noting that when the two power plants come on stream, it would effectively solve the electricity problem in the state which requires only 400Mw.
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