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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Following the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to complete the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline early next year, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged President Bola Tinubu to expand the project to cover some states in Northern region.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, yesterday, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said such expansion would help in reviving moribund industries in the affected areas.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is elated about the renewed commitment of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to complete the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline early in 2025.
“Convinced about the economic transformational benefits of the gas pipeline project, ACF calls for its extension to other states. In particular, it should not cost too much to extend the line from Zaria towards Katsina and Zamfara states. Such an endeavour has the real potential to positively impact on the revival of moribund industries in Funtua, Katsina and Gusau, as well as the establishment of new ones.
“The heart-warming news came by way of visit by a high-powered delegation of the Federal Government to the project site in Kaduna on Friday, June 21, 2024. The delegation, led by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, included the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Malagi; the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo; and the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari.
On hand to accompany the delegation was the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe.
“ACF wholly agrees with Mr. Edun’s observation that the AKK gas pipeline will be critical to Nigeria’s industrialisation endeavours and a much welcome relief for the economy in general.
“It will be recalled that during the ACF leadership’s visit to President Tinubu, on May 30, 2024, plea for the completion of the AKK gas pipeline was on the wish list of the Forum for the attention of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Other projects listed included the Mambila Hydroelectric Dam, Sokoto-Badagri Highway, dredging of Rivers Benue and Niger, the Great Green Wall and on-going railway and highway projects.
“As it commends President Tinubu in respect of the AKK project, ACF reiterates its plea for attention to the other projects, which if and when implemented, will go a long way in revamping the economy of the Northern states and Nigeria at large,” the statement said.
