- The allocation of N17 billion for the purchase of power generating sets and diesel in the 2018 budget has been condemned
- The executive director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Godwin Uyi Ojo, said the federal government needs to place a permanent ban on power generating sets importation
- He said what should be in the budget is allocation for research and development of alternative sources of energy in solar lighting systems and fuel efficient cooking stoves
The federal government has been criticized for allocating N17 billion in this year’s budget for the purchase of power generating sets and diesel.
The executive director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Godwin Uyi Ojo, said a ban should be importation of power generating sets for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Vanguard reports.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ consultative workshop for the promotion of Renewable Energy Alternative held in Benin City, on Thursday, November 30, Ojo said the trend should not be allowed to continue in the 2018 budget.
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He said: “We wish to state categorically that the Federal government immediately place a permanent ban on the importation of power generating sets for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in the country.
“Instead, they should work with the budget office to include a budget line for research and development of alternative sources of energy in solar lighting systems and fuel efficient cooking stoves. Nigeria should not be left behind in the global shift from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy as a response to curbing climate change and its devastating impacts.”
According to him, energy demands in Nigeria outstrips supply which he said, hovers around 5,000 Mega Watts, saying that as a result, “over 70 percent of the 170 million people depends solely on fuel wood for energy, representing one of the world’s highest deforestation rate of 3.5 percent annually.”
Ojo called on Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions to implement the Paris Agreement of which the country is a signatory which pledged to reduce its Green House Gases emission by 20% unconditionally by 2020 and 45% by 2030, if the needed support, means of implementation, finance and technology are funded by the developed countries.
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He also urged the federal government to support community energy initiatives.
According to him, this allows individuals and communities to be involved as co- producers and suppliers of non-grid and mini-grid systems by investing public finance, loans and subsidies from dirty energy to renewable sources of energy.
NAIJ.com earlier reported how President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2018 budget to the National Assembly recently.
The budget of N8.6 trillion is projected at an oil price of $45 per barrel and an estimate of 2.3 million barrels per day.
The budget is further projected on an exchange rate of N305 to $1, a real Gross Domestic Growth of 3.5% and inflation rate of 12.4%.
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Source: Naija.ng