…. $2 billion funding needed to close gap
By Haruna Salami
One day workshop between the National Assembly and Rural Electrification Agency in Abuja has once again exposed that 80 million Nigerians are without access to electricity despite huge investment in the sector.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan who declared the workshop Wednesday said it afforded the lawmakers the opportunity to assess impact as well as challenges of the Nigeria Electrification Project of the Federal Government, as funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank, and other projects being implemented by the REA.
Lawan who was represented by the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu explained that the overall expectation of the citizens of this great country is that the power sector, after privatisation, would be far better.
“Though we have recorded successes, I must confess that we are still quite far from our desired destination with millions of Nigerians having no access to reliable electricity. Which is why we continue to charge the Members of the Committee on Power to constantly overnight this sector and make beneficial decisions for the sake of all Nigerian citizens.
Senator Gabriel Suswam, Chairman Senate Committee on Power harped on the need to invest in renewable energy.
“When they say some countries have achieved, may be 80 – 90 per cent power accessibility for their people, it is so much that they are all connected to the national grid of those countries. Renewable energy have been deployed in India, China, Brazil and a host of other developing countries that have made progress in their industrialization.
“What the REA stands for is to be sure that this 80 million Nigerians that have no access to power have access to power through renewable energy, wether it is solar, biomass, solar through mini grid, etc. With mini grid they can operate with small cottage industries.
“I believe that by this initiative by the federal government, substantial number, even if we are not able to achieve the 80 million Nigerians that are not on the network, we will be able to achieve 60 -70 per cent of that population to be able to, at least have some level of power to power their small appliances in the house or even create mini grids where some cottage industries could be set up in the rural areas thereby enhancing rural economy of those areas.
On the role of the National Assembly in assisting REA to achieve its mandate, Suswam said the budgetory allocation of the agency will be increased.
“On our part we have the power of appropriation and they need a lot of money. Since last year we have been able to enhance their budgetory allocation that came to us and we believe that this year it is going to be even more because we need the rural people to access power.
“So, on the part of the National Assembly, we are willing and ready at all times to support what will enhance the wellbeing of the people we represent.
Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba in his remarks emphasised that electricity is critical to national development, adding that “the world over, renewable energy solutions are being deployed to close energy gaps and accelerate development.
“The grid continues to provide majority of Nigerians with their energy needs. However, it is obvious that the grid will not adequately cater to the energy needs of Nigeria and Nigerians. Over 80 million Nigerians lack access to reliable electricity. To change this narrative, we must continue to strategically deploy renewable, off-grid technologies to power Nigeria, one community at a time.
“We must continue to collaborate to do all that it takes to ensure that Nigeria’s massive renewable energy resources are efficiently utilized to energize communities, schools, businesses and other critical sectors across Nigeria.
The MD, REA, Sanusi Ohiare said the aim of REA “is not only to take electricity to the people, but how that transforms the people’s lives economically”.
He ssid so far the agency has energised some selected markets, federal universities, etc.
Some of the challenges of the agency according to Ohiare include the need to upgrade the internal capacity of the staff, better budgetory allocation and a gap of $2 billion those who don’t have access to electricity.
