The Cross River state government has said it was kick-starting an all-encompassing summit on energy and power with the aims of diversifying its economy and creating employment opportunities for its teeming youths.
Making this known during a media chat, weekend, commissioner for power and renewable energy, Eka Wills, said the search for solution to dwindling oil revenues led to focus on other sources of generating energy and power.
He said, “The energy sector is one of the most outstanding ways of bringing the State back to winning ways,” and noted that the drop in production capacity and prices of petroleum products, amongst other reasons, promoted the State to “strategize and implement quick-win initiatives to attract conventional and alternative investments to finance development projects.”
He disclosed that the summit, which is scheduled for this Monday through Wednesday at the CICC Calabar, would see stakeholders, experts in the energy and power sectors as well as consultants brainstorm on how best to utilize the vast endowments of the State to boost the economy.
“The resultant strategy is a three-pronged approach of public private and strategic investor partnership to realise the dawn of a new era,” he noted.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Finance, Mike Odere, said the State was ready to implement the resolutions of the summit and that such would boost the confidence of the people for a better tomorrow.
Commissioner for information, Erasmus Ekpang, in his remarks, noted that the determination of the Gov Bassey Otu-led administration to deliver was not in doubt considering the vast infrastructural changes that were taking place across the State within the last few months.
Adie Mac Monkom, Consultant, All States Management Partners Solution, who enumerated the benefits of renewable energy said “We stand at the threshold of a transformative journey towards sustainable energy, where our collective vision and unwavering commitment converge to redefine the way we power of world “
