By Isah Ojo, Maiduguri
Stakeholders from across northeastern Nigeria have urged government of the region to invest in alternative sources of generating energy to satisfy the region’s riding need for power.
This is following the gross power deficit and frequent power outages in the Northeast which have constituted a matter for grave concern to stakeholders across the 6-state region.
The region’s Chairman of Electricity Act Committee, Dr Immamudeen Talba, spoke on behalf of the stakeholders made the call during a one-day Northeast stakeholders advocacy engagement on the Electricity Act for the Northeast organized by Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Association Alliance (REEEAA) held in Maiduguri
Talba, who is also an Ex-officio Member of REEEAA’s Governing Council, underscored the significance of the engagement, highlighting the potential of solar, wind, and hydroelectric powers are massively available in the region.
He charged the policymakers, energy experts, private investors, and key stakeholders from six northern states—Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba to focus on renewable energy as a sustainable solution to the region’s electricity crisis, emphasizing policy reforms, capacity building, research, and investment.
“To address these challenges, stakeholders urge the state governments to implement policies that attract renewable energy investments, offer incentives to private investors, and streamline regulatory frameworks,” he said.
He continued: ” Stakeholders also call for increased community involvement, ensuring that local populations are trained to maintain and operate renewable energy systems.”
He also stressed the need for decentralized energy generation, mini-grid and off-grid solar projects, and local capacity building to sustain renewable energy infrastructure.
“All the states are blessed with resources, renewable energy resources,” Talba said, explaining, “Taraba state has high potential of Hydros; the Mambila that’s been talked about since 1968 is in Taraba state; if the federal government does not have the funding to execute the the hydro electric project, the governors should think about doing so.”
Talba listed some of the alternative energy potentials of the region: “Borno has sun, Bauchi and Gombe also has gas. All the six states can use solar to generate energy,” stressing, “We are calling on the policy makers in the northeast region to invest massively in sector.”
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He suggested: “They should come together and they can take it all from the federal government; they can establish a kind of a joint power generation project and incorporate a joint company to handle that.”
Talba suggested further: “They should look out for funding from international donors, the power needed would not less than 3000 megawatts, which could be sufficient to all the six states.”
The Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General Taraba State, Barr Sunday Maikarfi, hinted that the Taraba State Renewable Energy Bill is currently before the State House of Assembly, assuring that it would soon pass it into law.
He pointed out it is crystal clear that the renewable energy has multiplier economic benefit to Taraba state, aside electricity it would generate employment and make the economy versatile.
“In fact, with the full implementation of the act, my state may even stop going to Abuja for Federation account meeting, because we can generate so much and has a huge benefit the our states.
“We have already passed the stage of having our policy regarding electricity on ground. In fact, the law is before the House of Assembly. So we shall soon have our own law regulating electricity in Taraba state.”he revealed.
Also, the Permanent Secretary Transport and Energy, Borno state, Mohammed Bukar El-sadiq, described the regional meeting as a significant step toward sustainable energy solutions, fostering collaboration between government agencies, the private sector, and development partners to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
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