By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
In the bid to get the economy of Cross River State back on track, to make it competitive with the economy of other states of the federation and beyond, the state government will today kick-start an economy summit on energy and power.
The summit, aimed at diversifying the state’s economy and create employment opportunities for its teeming youths is expected to draw participants from among captains of industries, technocrats, stakeholders in the energy and power sector, among others, to brainstorm at the summit.
Cross River State Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, Prince Eka Williams, made this known during a media chat with journalists at the weekend in Calabar, the state capital.
Williams stated that the search for solution to dwindling oil revenues led to focusing 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.”
Stressing 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 enthused further that the three-day summit would kick off on Monday, March 25, at the International Convention Centre, Calabar.
He added that stakeholders and experts from the energy and power sectors, as well as consultants would brainstorm on how best to utilize the vast endowments of the state to boost the economy.
He averred, “The resultant strategy is a three-pronged approach of public private and strategic investor partnership to realise the dawn of a new era.”
The state Commissioner for Finance, Mike Odere, stressed that the state was ready to implement the resolutions of the summit, adding that such would boost the confidence of the people for a better tomorrow.
