Kano — The President of the Republic of Germany , Mr. Horst Kohler, has advised the Kano state government to look into the possibility of adopting alternative energy sources to boost the local economy. Mr. Kohler said this during a courtesy visit at the Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

He explained that big power plants were not the answer to the energy crisis facing developing countries, but that decentralised power generation through renewable energy was a more realistic option.

The German President revealed that it was imperative to ensure electricity supply to the rural areas where poverty is generally high, assuring that his government would be willing to help the government of Kano state to build up a decentralised energy system.

He dwelt on the collapsed textile industry in Nigeria as a whole, and Kano state in particular, pointing out the state needed processing industries to create jobs and ultimately hasten poverty reduction.

Mr. Kohler sought to know what the state government was doing regarding education, job creation, human resources development and peaceful coexistance among the adherents of various religious, pointing out that these sectors were instrumental to national development.

Earlier on, the state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, described the visit as memorable and an honour to the government and people of the state , saying his government was willing to join hands with the German government.

Shekarau also said the state government was ready to take advantage of the expertise of the Germans in education, energy development and commercial activities among others.

He then described Kano a densely populated cosmopolitan commercial centre with over 10 million people, pointing out the the population issue was posing a great sanitation challenge.

The German President and Governor Shekarau also addressed a joint meeting of Nigerian and German business communities where they stressed commitment to fruitful bilateral relations.