·Power has been one of our challenges--Alia
·Plateau wants to be seller of energy in next 2yrs --Mutfwang
·Zamfara won't lag behind in ensuring adequate electricity --Lawal
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, United States
Some governors on Sunday engaged Chinese conglomerate seeking partnership and investment, especially in the area of energy.
Among those that met the Chinese industry giants were Governors Hyacinth Alia of Benue State; Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State; and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State.
The meeting, which held in Nigeria House, New York, in the United States of America, was on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA 79.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Governor Alia of Benue State said it was the first of series of meetings with international investors.
He said: "We've just had the very first on the side, meeting with some Chinese conglomerates who are trying to see areas of partnership and investment. This is called the GEICO.
"GEICO is Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization. You know, power has been part of anxieties at home, so they're trying to explore to see the kind of takeaways the subnationals might seek to have.
"So we've listened to them. There're a few takeaways here. We need to take a closer look at them, and then, through the Nigerian Governors Forum, we're getting back to them to discuss areas of interests and what we can possibly do. So far, it's quite ideal. I have a few other bilateral engagements."
On how Benue State will benefit from some of the bilateral agreements, the governor said the state needed investors.
"We're actually going to cash in on a number of different levels. This first meeting speaks about developmental and interconnectivity of electricity. We need some investors to come in and see areas of partnership. So, that is one good area again.
"Then the one I'm going for in the next fifteen or twenty minutes is about peace initiatives and peace and reconciliation. We all need this. So, which other areas would we cover? We're talking about amnesty? What does that mean? How do we come in? What is involved in that?
"So how do we cushion the folks out there to understand where I'm headed, even on peace initiatives. We need peace, Benue has been in this struggle of survival since 2015, and that's a very long time for an entire nation to be suffering, so I'm very hopeful that I'm going to have a few takeaways from here as well," he added.
Also speaking, Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, said Nigeria's economy had what it took to be a global player in the economic space, given its size. It's a veritable market for any investor.
He said: "We've arrived for the United Nations General Assembly, and usually it's an opportunity to be able to interact with global players in every facet of development.
"Since arrival, we've been able to have interactions with some international partners who are willing to come to Nigeria. It's an exciting time for Nigeria, despite the challenges we are having.
"There's a lot of interest being shown in the Nigerian economy, because we have what it takes to be a global player in the economic space, given our size.
"So far, the engagements we've had are quite promising in energy, in agriculture and several other sectors. And so, we hope that in the coming days we're going to have more engagements.
"We're also looking at how to be able to review the issue of this Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, under the auspices of the UN administration.
"Yesterday, I personally had audience with the deputy secretary general, our own dear sister, Ms Amina Mohammed, and we are glad that she's playing a very key role at the global level."
, and, of course, also making sure that many opportunities that are available at that level she grants us access into those opportunities.
"It's one of such opportunities we had this afternoon (Sunday) when she arranged that interaction for Chinese energy players with Nigerian governors. So, we are looking at how to be able to bring the sub nationals into global space."
On how Plateau State will benefit from all the engagement, he said: "Plateau State, as you know, is one of the early states that took advantage of the liberalization of the power sector, and so we are looking at how to develop capacity in that sector, so we can move from just putting the framework in place to making it a reality.
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"We want to become, in the next two years, a net seller of energy and this is our ambition. We are looking for the requisite capacity and funding to be able to achieve and drive that goal."
On his part, Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, said: "As you rightly pointed out, we're all here in New York for the UNGA and the essence of this kind of meeting is to be able to meet potential investors for our state, especially a state such as Zamfara.
He said: "We just had a meeting now with a company that's in charge of energy, and they're really doing well, and they have the financial capacity to be able to partner with countries such as Nigeria, so it's an important thing, and it's something we are looking forward to and there's more to see and to meet within this period."
On how Zamfara will benefit from the discussion on power, the governor said: " You're aware of the electricity issue in Nigeria and Zamfara State in particular.
"It is an opportunity for Zamfara now to key into this guide, so it will be nice to have proper power in Zamfara State because that will lead to development. That is why we're here."
