Kano State Government on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria (GACN) Limited on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipelines gas project.
Speaking at the event, the State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje explained that the MoU would facilitate the revival of ailing industries in Kano and neighbouring states.
“We will use gas to make Kano a gas hub of Sub Saharan Africa,” he said.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr Nasiru Yusuf-Gawuna, Ganduje said that the AKK pipelines gas project would enhance industrialisation in the state.
“I want to tell you that Kano state is taking advantage of making sure that all moribund industries are revived.
“We are going to take every advantage of it. So, there is going to be a lot of sensitisations, a lot of foreigners have approached the government for investment.
“So, our possible investors have to be sensitised on this,” he said.
He said that the ongoing rail line project that would pass through the state up to Niger Republic was another positive initiative by the Federal Government for the project.
Ganduje said that the state government had also reserved 1,200 hectares of land at Tamburawa for a Gas Industrial Layout in order to key into the pipeline.
“The government selected members of AKK pipelines committee who are committed to the job.
“His Excellency wants to extends appreciation to the Federal Government, NNPC and GACN managements on behalf of the people of Kano State,” he said.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, said that the AKK project was an opportunity to revive ailing industries in the state.
“Industries in Kano before were buoyant, but are now out of operations due to power problem. So, this is an opportunity to revive them,” he said.
Kyari, who was represented by Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, Mr Yusuf Usman, revealed that the pipeline project would assist to create jobs to people.
Also, the Managing Director, GACN, Mr Olalekan Ogunleye, said that the Federal Government was consistently supporting gas development and there was a policy framework on that.
He said that GACN has no option than to deliver on its mandate.
Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited (GACN) is the Strategic Aggregator established by the Nigerian Gas Supply and Pricing Regulation, “The Regulation, 2008”.
Its primary mandate is to allocate natural gas to strategic sectors for domestic utilisation in Nigeria.
Ogunleye said that GACN had earlier engaged with NARTO, NURTW and MAN Kano chapters on the way forward as major key players in the gas project.
He commended the state government for the support it has been giving to the success of the project.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ganduje signed on behalf of Kano government, while Usman and Ogunleye, signed on behalf of NNPC and GACN respectively.
