By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
A 3-Day Energy Summit to X-ray the vast opportunities and investment potential of the state kicks off Monday 23rd-Wedneday 25th March 2024 in Calabar.
The all-encompassing summit on energy and power with the aims of diversifying the state economy and creating employment opportunities to its teeming youths is the first the state is venturing into.
This was disclosed during amedia chat with the Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Hon. Eka Wills.
According to him, “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,”.
Wills noted that the drop in production capacity and prices of petroleum products, amongst other reasons, prompted, 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 to hold at the CICC Calabar, shall 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.
Earlier, Commissioner for information, Erasmus Ekpang, in his remarks, noted that the determination of the Gov Bassey Out-led administration to deliver was not in doubt considering the vast infrastructural changes that were taking place across thevState 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”.
