Taiwo Hassan 
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has disclosed that the coming on stream of Kaduna power plant will be a good omen for the revitalisation of the moribund textile factories that have been lying fallow in the state for years. Vice President of LCCI, Princess Olufunlayo Bakare-Okeowo, in an interview with New Telegraph in Lagos, explained that part of the output electricity generated in the 215MW gas power station, should be channeled to the industrial clusters harbouring the textile factories in Kaduna, Kaduna State, for their revival.
According to her, nonelectricity power supply to the textile industrial zone has been responsible for the shutdown of the factories with a lot of workers sacked. Bakare-Okeowo, who doubles as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, FAE Limited, also said that the revamping of the factories would go a long way in curbing the influx of substandard fabrics into the country.
Specifically, she pointed out that government must strengthen it’s protectionism law for local textile industries to catalyse their production capabilities because of the key role textile sector plays in the country’s economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. She said: “About the textile industry, I think they should even be the number one to benefit from the power plant and I will tell you why. We are talking oil, but have you noticed how the Europeans appreciate our fabrics?
“They appreciate our addire fabrics and all these people, they have been doing it. And most of them already closed down. “I can remember sometimes ago, when we were on our trade fair and wanted to order some ankara from them. “So they should be the number one to benefit from the Kaduna power plant electricity supply after the commissioning and most importantly, government should protect them because I know authoritatively that they are having problems about influx of addire fabrics into the country.
“So government should try to protect them when it comes to production.” Meanwhile, looking at the Nigerian power sector, other regions control the hydro generating plants and most of them are in Niger State, talk about the Zungeri, Jebba, Shiroro and Kanji Dam. She pointed out that “we have the Dandikwa, in Gombe and also, we have the 40MW Kashangiwa in Taraba state.
“So all the generating plants in the North are all hydro, this should be the second gas power plant that will now be located in the North, apart from the ones in Geregu, the Kaduna power plant is the second now and it is a gas powered plant.” On the benefits of the Kaduna power plant to the nation’s economy, the renowned industrialist noted: “And the advantage of this gas powered plant is going to leverage the AKK gas pipeline that is under construction that would pass through it and it is also going to leverage the Kaduna Refinery all for the supply of gas.”
