Prof. Muhammad Ka’oje, the Chairman, Kebbi State Standing Committee on Bio-Fuel, has said that the biofuel project will augment the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the tune of N338 billion annually.
Ka’oje, a former Minister of Science and Technology, made this known while briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Kebbi State Government and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had on November 23, 2017, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ethanol biofuel production project in the state.
The project is being implemented in Gwazawa, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.
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Ka’oje noted that the biofuel sourced from sugar would contribute substantially to the state’s revenue base.
“We are not producing bio-fuel for the sake of producing bio-fuel; but we have done our calculations, and our expectations if the project is completed, it will supplement the state’s IGR of N338 billion about one billion dollars, if we achieve our maximum target annually.
“It is our estimate and it can be more than that, and I am just talking about the cassava, but the biofuel from sugar is also going to contribute more substantially to the revenue of the state.
“That is the whole idea, to make the state self-content in the event of any eventuality,” he said.
According to him, the project will provide empowerment and employment opportunities to the number of people as it has a production line.
Ka’oje said that the state government had cultivated a total of 47,000 hectares of cassava to provide a source of raw material for the ethanol biofuel production.
“About 15, 000 hectares have been earmarked for bio-fuel project; while 32,000 hectares will be used by out-growers to produce cassava.
“A lot of activities have taken place and now we are talking to the NNPC, as the next step is to prepare the machinery so that the production will commence soon, ” he added.
The former minister disclosed that the committee had begun installation of equipment with the capacity to generate alternative sources of energy to the host community as well as serving the production of ethanol.
“Nigeria has the potentials to commence production of ethanol in large quantity for export especially from the northern part of the country,” he said.
Ka’oje, however, said that the project could not be completed according to an initial work plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the committee would ensure completion of the project on time.