A pro Buhari politician, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzor, has charged President Buhari to reopen the Enugu Coal Mines which have been closed for about 46 years.
While meeting a coalition of Igbo organizations who paid him a visit, Mazi Isoguzor stated;
“We expect that the Presidency should ensure that 2nd Niger Bridge is completed and revamp the Enugu Coal Mines which have been closed for over 46 years as well as all the federal roads being worked on.”
The Enugu Coal Mines have the capacity to greatly improve electricity in Nigeria. This is due to massive amounts of coal deposits that can feed coal-fired power plants nationwide.
Unfortunately, since the end of the civil war, prospects of the mines being reopened have been fading like the image of a mirage.
This is even as gas supply proves unable to power Nigeria maximally.
Meanwhile, a look at industrialized countries like the United States and China shows that they get most of their electricity from coal.
This begs the question: Why can’t we do the same in Nigeria?
In 2017, the then Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Gov. Kayode Fayemi inspected the Enugu Coal Mines and declared, “Our attitude to the energy problem is that this is an existential threat to our country and we will address it with what we have. The abundant coal that is available will be utilised.”
This is 2019.
Coal exploitation in Nigeria will bring jobs, not just to areas where mines are located, but also areas where coal-fired power plants ate cited.
Experts that know how to make this work might be few, but they are readily available.
