Oscarline Onwuemenyi
06 August 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has said Nigeria’s desire to have sustainable and affordable electricity cannot be achieved without diversification of her energy sources.
Tambuwal, who stated this while hosting officials from the Federal Ministry of Science & Technology and the Centre for Energy Research and Training, in Sokoto, Sokoto State, urged the Federal government and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to allow states generate and transmit their own electricity to meet up with the growing local demands.
“I am of the opinion that allowing states and LGAs to generate, transmit and distribute electricity will ensure accelerated development of the sector and ensure an end to the erratic power supply in the country,” he stated.
He recalled that when he was Speaker of the House of Representatives, efforts were made to pass legislations that would have removed the power supply from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent Legislative List to allow states and LGAs to generate and distribute power.
Tambuwal who stressed the importance of alternative energy expressed the state government’s willingness to harness all available sources of energy to meet the needs.
He appealed to the Federal Government to deploy resources and expertise to the state to develop Wind and other alternative energy sources.
The governor said though in Sokoto, the potential to generate electricity from hydro, carbon and solar sources were high, he was particular about wind energy because hitherto it had not been explored.
“All that is needed is a political will and organisational capacity and capability to bring all stakeholders together and produce results,” he stated.
