By Our Correspondent

NIGERIANS have urged the Federal Government to stop move by some Nigerian firms and others to import coal from South Africa for power generation in the country.

Indications had emerged that some Nigerian firms and others had concluded plans to import coal from South Africa for power generation.

ZIK GBEMRE

But a human Rights Activist and two lawyers who spoke on the issue, fumed that the  country had enough coal insisting that there was no need importing same from South Africa

In his reaction, a human rights activist, Mr. Zik Gbemre said; “We find it disturbing and sad that a country like Nigeria, despite being blessed and endowed with so much mineral resources like natural gas and coal, that holds so much economic potential; is still amongst the poorest countries in the world, to the extent that we have practically become a nation that virtually imports everything to satisfy domestic demands.”

He lamented that apart from the fact that Nigeria has not been able to judiciously utilize its abundant natural gas and coal resources for the benefit of its citizenry and the Nigerian economy, it has become a nation that prefers to import these same natural resources from other countries rather than harness and develop what we abundantly have here.

Gbemre said there were no words to describe the anomaly when it was recently reported that some industrialists and electricity generating companies have started initiating moves to import coal from South Africa, as a proactive measure against the lingering power supply crisis in the country.

He said; “According to reports, this is to enable them to switch over to coal-powered turbines for their respective operators. The move was said to have been informed by the frustrations being experienced by the operators in getting gas to fuel their respective power plants. Leading the coal-import initiative from South Africa is Dangote Cement Plc, which has already placed an initial order of 30,000 tonnes of the commodity from the continent’s second largest economy.

“Already, the company has slated $250 million for power generating conversion , which would involve establishment of three plants at Dangote Cement’s facilities at Obajana in Kogi State; Gboko in Benue State; and Ibeshe in Ogun State.

Also, “some Power Generating Companies (GENCOS) have already started considering converting their plants to coal-fired turbines with unabated crisis in securing gas to power their respective facilities. Mostly affected by the gas paucity crisis are the GENCO that are located inland, which have not got the close proximity advantage to the gas supplying facilities, which are located in the Niger Delta region”, the report noted.”

He noted that according to one of the reports, “Nigeria has been assessed to have about the largest gas reserves in the world, but the parlous supply infrastructure has compromised distribution to various plants requiring the commodity. The nation’s coal reserves remain largely unexploited, even after the Federal Government has sold out the blocs to prospective miners.” 

“We find it appalling that our Nigerian government is quiet and allowing this coal importation moves to run its course. Why should the nation be importing coal from South Africa to power its industries and plants when we have abundant coal deposits waiting to be tapped and utilized? Why should the nation be having power supply issues with its Power Plants when we have enormous gas reserves said to be ranked 7^th in the world? Why are we still flaring gas that ought to be utilized to service the nation’s various Power Plants, and by extension address our power supply problems? How come we have become ‘lazy’ as a nation in the development of our mineral resources? Instead, we prefer to import and enrich other nations while the country and its common citizenry suffer lack and want? How long are we going to continue like this as a nation?” said Gbemre.

Barrister Eric Omare

The spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Barrister Eric Omare said; “It is condemnable that Nigeria firms are not going to South Africa to import coal when same coal is in abundance in Nigeria. This is another evidence of the disadvantages of over reliance on oil and misplaced government priorities. Again states must be allowed to explore resources like coal.”

On his part the Executive Director, Center for the Vulnerable and the Under-privileged (CENTREP), Barrister Oghenejabor Ikimi, described the idea of importing coal from South Africa while we have abundant untapped coal in Enugu as a crazy idea.

He said; “Sincerely speaking, the idea of importing coal from South Africa by Nigeria firms for power generation when as a nation we have abundant coal that are untapped in Enugu, is a crazy one. Just like our importing fuel as an oil producing country is weird. The above scenario speaks volume of commotion in our polity occasioned by the hazy vision of our ruling elites who are more interested in pecuniary gains over and above National Interest and nation building.”

Ikimi stressed that Nigeria as a nation has remained massively underdeveloped owing to a selfish and corrupt ruling class that has woefully failed to harness the abundant mineral and human resources positively for the benefit of her teeming population.

Barrister Oghenejabor Ikimi

“Nigeria must begin to expose corrupt politicians and to stop lionizing them in a bid to getting the process of electing trusted, selfless, credible and visionary leaders into the saddle of governance to harness our abundant mineral and human resources for the benefit of our people and the nation. Until the above is done we shall continue to grope in dark as a people and as a nation,” said Ikimi.