The     Enugu   State  Government has expressed its willingness to establish a viable partnership with a South African firm, Simang Group as its technical partners towards the exploration of the coal deposits in the state for purposes of power generation.

The decision was part of the agreements reached during a meeting between the state government and representatives of the company led by the Executive Vice Chairman, Pan Africa Development Corporate Company Ltd., Dr. Odilim Basil Enwegbara at the Government House, Enugu, with the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu in attend-ance.  Delivering his address, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State who was impressed with the outcome of the deliberation, said that the decision was in line with the power sector reforms and initiatives of President Muhammadu Buhari aimed at developing alternative and more viable sources of power generation in the country.

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in a handshake with Stephen Paddy, Chairman Simang Group, South Africa as Dr. Odilim Enwegbara, Executive Vice Chairman Pan. Africa Development Corporate Company Limited when South African Investors working on the revival of coal industry in Enugu paid the governor a courtesy visit at the government house, Enugu

Gov. Ugwuanyi added that the action was in response to the  calls for discovery and devel-opment of new sources of revenue as a result of the negative development in the oil sector, saying that “we have always been hopeful that the Coal fields of Enugu State will once again play a major role in the socio-economic development of the country”.

“Enugu is known as the Coal City State, but it was so named in recognition of its past. We believe it is time for Enugu to, once again, become the Coal City State, in truth and in fact.

“There is also no gainsaying the huge economic benefits that such a venture will bring to the State. Not only will it boost industrial growth and generate employ-ments for our people but it will also help to enhance the growing profile of Enugu State as the hub of economic activities in the South East region”, Gov. Ugwuanyi explained.

It could be recalled that Governor Ugwuanyi when playing host to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Fayemi, recently, had appealed to the Federal Government to consider revoking all the dormant licences or leases to the mining fields in the state and re-award them to the state government to operate.

The governor assured that the state government has the capacity and glut of investors who are eager and well equipped to commence mining operations in the state, disclosing that the state is richly endowed with solid mineral resources such as coal, limestone, sandstone, lead, zinc and gas, regretting that despite these endowments the state has, paradoxically, gained so little from their existence especially after the collapse and eventual winding up of the Nigeria Coal Corporation.