Kebbi Deputy Governor, Retired Col. Sama’ila Yombe-Dabai, on Wednesday, said the state’s ethanol biofuel project, which is expected to gulp $86 million, will soon take off.
Yombe-Dabai made the disclosure while speaking on new development about the modular refinery project to be cited at Danko Wasagu in Zuru Emirate held at the Cabinet Office in Birnin Kebbi.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that about five years ago, the state government constituted a team, chaired by Prof. Muhammad Abubakar-Ka’oje, to come up with modalities for achieving the project.
NAN also recalls that the modular refinery project, to be jointly financed by Kebbi State Government, Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited and 3D High-tech System, is expected to produce biofuel from cassava cultivated in the area.
Yombe-Dabai recalled that a few days back he represented the governor and signed an agreement between the NNPC, 3D High-tech System and Kebbi Investment.
Yombe-Dabai assured that the refinery, when established had the capacity to employ over 5,000 people, apart from creating an environment for commerce for a large number of residents.
The deputy governor said after signing the agreement, a smooth path had been created good enough to move to the site, assuring that in the next few days, Danko Wasagu would be hosting the groundbreaking.
According to him, the project is one of the unique projects in Nigeria and the only one in Northern Nigeria.
On his part, the Team Leader, Prof. Muhammad Abubakar-Ka’oje revealed that the governor was very serious about the project in view of the pressure he mounted on the team to actualise the biofuel dream.
He assured that in less than one year of the commencement of the project, Gov. Bagudu was able to fulfil all obligations on the part of the state government.
“We finished our own part of the bargain four years ago,” he said.
Abubakar-Ka’oje attributed the delay in the commencement of the project to the COVID-19 pandemic and the nature of the assignment being a business venture which needed to leave no stone unturned.
He noted with satisfaction that the project would bring dividends of democracy to Kebbi State in the areas of provision of schools, construction of roads, provision of power and water supply and hospitals among others.
The team leader added that the co-investor had an emotional attachment to Zuru and was very much ready and willing to ensure that the vision and mission of the project come true.
NAN
