Renewable Energy
Germany has unfolded plans to invest nine million euro (about N1 billion) into Nigeria’s renewable energy project, within the next four years.
The European economic giant’s initiative would however, be in the area of advisory services to the Federal Government.
Germany’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Dorothee Janetzke-Wenze, made this disclosure at the weekend, during a chat with newsman, at Abuja.
Janetzke-Wenze also disclosed that the German Development Bank has already offered to provide a soft loan to upgrade and expand Nigeria’s hydro-power installations.
Also, she said her country’s Foreign Office has commissioned the German International Cooperation (GIZ) to support the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), under the renewable energy training programme.
She noted that the bilateral cooperation between the two countries would be expanded to cover energy and its efficiency, in plank of Germany’s expertise and experience.
To fast track the implementation of the project, she noted that a bi-national commission would be established to see to the actualisation of the objectives of the project.
The Ambassador pointed out that the essence of the bi-national commission is to create a level playing ground for both parties, adding that talk has commenced with the Ministry of Environment to see ways of establishing a mutual cooperation between both countries.
She said: “Today, Germany’s technical cooperation projects are geared towards supporting Nigeria in its endeavours to enable a broad-based, pro-poor growth with a focus on small and medium sized enterprises”
According to her, Germany is also providing technical training, as the country has a lot of potential in vocational training, disclosing that there is an on-going training between GIZ and Siemens company to further equip their man power.
Janetze-Wenzel noted that the German government also provide assistance to local non-governmental organizations in order to support less privileged communities to meet their basic needs like water, education infrastructure as well as technical and medical equipment.
She highlighted some of the projects embarked on in 2011 by the GIZ to include boreholes in FCT, Lagos State, Niger State, Oyo State; provision of medical equipment for maternities, generator for an orphanage in Oyo State, construction of school buildings and classroom equipment in FCT, Nasarawa State, among other projects.
Author: Chief Editor
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