THE Federal Government, on Monday, said it would make coal sites available to serious-minded power companies operating in Nigeria, with a view to improving power generation in the country.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, made this known in Tarfa, Kaduna State, during a facility tour of the African Steel Mill Complex, where he kick-started his tour of mine fields across the country.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Olayinka Oyebode, a copy of which was made available to the Tribune Online in Abuja.
He noted numerous requests for coal sites by many business concerns and operators in the sector, adding that the Federal Government’s main priority for now, was how to use its coal to aid power generation in Nigeria.
Dr Fayemi said the ministry would give priority to committed power companies as far as coal sites were concerned.
According to him, “we want to package our coal for use in power generation. We will give coal sites to serious-minded power companies.”
The minister, who stressed the importance of power to the development of the critical sector of the economy, further added that the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing would encourage power companies with demonstrated commitment to secure coal sites to boost power generation.
Dr Fayemi, who decried the high cost of steel products in the country, urged steel manufacturing companies to consider reducing the cost of the their products following the availability of foreign exchange.
He also urged them to scale up their capacity and take advantage of the huge steel market in the country, assuring them of government support for their growth.
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