By Daniel Edu
The Benue State Government has unveiled plans to construct a power plant aimed at independently generating electricity, with the goal of fostering socio-economic growth across the state’s communities.
Raymond Asemakaha, the Managing Director of Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), made this announcement on Monday. Notably, the federal government recently passed a bill granting state governments the authority to own and operate their own electrical businesses.
In a meeting held at the BIPC corporate offices in Makurdi with a delegation from Remedy Earth, Asemakaha requested the energy company to establish a pilot plant in Benue State. He stressed the importance of having a power plant in the state to drive transformation and stimulate economic activities.
Asemakaha explained, “For us, we know that one thing that stimulates the economy is when you have enough power. So, we are looking for options to ensure that the state generates its power and shares it with its communities. We want them to do the plant here and test run it so we can know what they are capable of before we engage them. Gone are the days that people tell stories; we want to see them before we can recommend them to the governor.”
This development follows closely after the Abia State Government, led by Governor Alex Otti, initiated the Geometric Power Plant project, aiming to provide 24-hour power supply to residents in Abia. The move by Benue State reflects a broader trend of state governments taking proactive steps to ensure sustainable and reliable power sources for their communities.
