The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Sada recently inaugurated a Coal-to-power committee to address alternative energy resources and diversify the nation’s electricity challenges. The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute, at the inauguration of the seven-member committee spoke to LILLIAN CHUKWU in Abuja on the team’s mandate. Excerpts
WHAT main goals instigated the inauguration of the Coal to Power Committee?
The committee so far inaugurated is the grand initiative of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada. We believe that it is our responsibility as the custodian of the Solid Mineral Sector to provide an answer to our national energy challenges. Coal is an important source of energy for the World, particularly for power generation, and we have it in abundance here in Nigeria.
The minister had deemed it necessary to set up a committee for Coal-to-Power and the driving motive is to see how we can key into what today constitutes the major element of our national agenda which is to increase power production to a level that will meet the industrial development needs of this country.
That is what the larger population is yearning for. Even though in recent times this increases have been experienced but we in the Solid mineral sector believe very strongly that the occurrences of coal resources in abundance, extra studies can take place to situate the status of this coal and the committee so far inaugurated today on behalf of the minister is actually to assembly all existing studies on this subject matter, evaluate them and see how we can use them to add value to the implementation to the concept of coal to power.
We have coal in abundance and the quality that is somehow better than what obtains in some other country. Coal to power as a concept is viable and is also cheap and with the kind of coal that we have with very low ash level has a lot to do with the issue of environment. Ours is that appreciates ecological considerations. So we want to use this concept to drive the need to have future power plant that is going to be powered by coal.
What about the assertion that use of coal to fire power plant has adverse environmental consequences? It speeds up global warming and emits hazardous substances such as carbon dioxide?
Yes it has. Every development project has adverse, unintended environmental consequences. What matters now is the fact that in Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, just as in Federal Ministry of Environment, we have very strong regulatory instruments backed by law that make ecological consideration paramount in all development activities operating in the Sector. All minerals miners are aware of this and so power plant operators will be made to observe the rules and regulations on safety of the environment. The coal in Nigeria ranks among the best in the world because of its high calorific value and low ash content that makes it even more suitable for power generation. Efficiency is the most important parameter for measuring the effect of coal-powered plant. With that you can reduce emission significantly.
Do you mean that the mines ministry will build a power plant powered by coal?
No. The concept is Coal to Power. Two sister ministries are most relevant here, these are the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. The committee, which we have inaugurated is a technical committee that will function in interface with a counterpart Technical Committee in Ministry of Power who already has agenda on power plant development in Nigeria.
Does that now mean an end to power or electricity challenges in the country?
I don’t want to be misquoted. All I am saying is that Coal is an important source of energy particularly for power generation. As I earlier said, we have coal in Nigeria in abundance. The demand for it right now is high in the World but we don’t want to encourage its export as the domestic demand for energy is very high. The need for energy and economics of producing and supplying it to the end-users are central in our Coal to Power concept. The Committee on Coal to Power has been made to bear this in mind in consideration of this assignment. For those who worry about carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, I am an environmentalist.
We have in my Ministry the economic and regulatory conditions, which are consistent with our national ambition to achieve increased power generation through Coal to Power. We are sure of where we are going in this direction.
What prompted the ministry’s prioritizing this concept at this time?
The issue of power generation is on the frontline of government debate. We are keying into the debate by making it more participatory and by acknowledging the potential which the Solid Minerals Sector holds for the Nigerian economy. This commitment is what has provided the motivation to identify the most promising developments, which will lead to improvements in the Power Sector.
What about the issue of funding, which is always the bane of such government developmental projects?
That will take care of itself. Funding will rely on the roadmap that would be generated from the Committee’s work. We expect to have a result oriented programme implementation strategy that articulates the result framework and the position of government and the Private Sector on the Scheme, including the condition for mutual accountability for achieving the set goal. Engr. Mohammed Amate, the Director-General of Mining Cadastre Office, heads the seven-member Committee. He is to work with other Chief Executive Officers and Directors in the Solid Minerals and Metals Sector.
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