Lack of progress on the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in the North-East almost two years after it was flagged off is frustrating, according to Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.
The flagging off of the project, the first of its kind in the zone, was done in September 2022 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who said at the time that oil exploration at the Kolmani River located between Gombe and Bauchi states has already attracted over $3 billion in foreign direct investment and will boost Nigeria’s fortunes and earnings.
It was expected to start with a daily production of about 50,000 barrels of crude oil.
However, the project has stalled since the exit of the Buhari administration.
But speaking to correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Friday, Governor Yahaya revealed that it was part of the reason he met with President Tinubu on Friday.
He said, “It is a really unfortunate development. As you said, close to two years have passed since the foundation laid for an integrated in situ development comprising a 250 thousand-capacity refinery, a 350-megawatt power plant, and a 2000-tonne fertiliser plant, which was supposed to take off since then, but because I think there are some issues with the NNPC and also with the partners that are engaged or developers, those issues really have strangled operations to take off.
“And in fact, it is part of the discussion I had with Mr President, believing that once he steps in, maybe we will see activities back for the fact that petroleum and gas are under the exclusive list, which we cannot do much of.
“NNPC is the only company that is to handle anything gas or petroleum of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and as such, the presidential intervention that I just came and sought will really make things turn back and activities resume on sight as soon as possible.”
The governor said he also discussed the issues of the economy and security with the president, affirming that Tinubu is ready and will do his best to fulfil his mandate.
Yahaya stated: “I came to see Mr. President as a follow-up to the recent developments in the country, especially in the economy with regards to food security and also with regards to recent developments in the polity.
“And our engagement has been very robust; we touched on all the issues, and I am satisfied and convinced that Mr President is ready, has been doing his best, and will continue to do his best to deliver on the mandate and see that Nigeria is out of the current situation, improve, and catch up with the rest of the developed world.”
The governor also affirmed that his administration is tackling insecurity in Gombe State.
He explained: “We have been doing a lot with regard to insecurity. It is unfortunate that the whole of the north, and particularly the northeast, which started some 15 years ago with Boko Haram and subsequent insurgency and displacement of people, saw the effect of insecurity, and now the remaining part of the north, especially the northwest and north central, has seen kidnapping and banditry, which resulted from cattle rustling and farmer-herders clashing.
“Gombe, luckily, is not part of those states that are on the front lines and that have had these effects of kidnappers and banditry, at least to the extent that it is now in other states of the north.
We have been doing a lot in order to ensure there is security for lives and property in Gombe, and the security agencies have been very supportive with regard to that.
The people, too, have been cooperative, and we are relatively secure. We will continue to pursue and ensure that there is full security for lives and property in Gombe State.
“And we will collaborate with our brothers in the neighbouring state in the northeast subregion and the wider north to ensure that we are brothers keepers as security is restored back to Norway, knowing fully well that insecurity is the cause of the current food crisis that we have in the country.”
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then