The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari has expressed disappointment with the state of
power generation in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit which
provided opportunity for the signing of a $1.1 million grant between Nigeria
and the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) as part-funding for
the Abuja Independent Power Project (IPP) in Abuja on Tuesday February 11, the
NNPC Chief lamented that Nigerians are still struggling to afford a day’s meal
and that electricity is now "a luxury” exclusive for the elite.
Kyari stated that the challenges of power supply must be
addressed before Nigeria can go into renewable energy.
He said;
“For this country
and very many of us in sub-Saharan Africa, what we worry about today is
actually the meals of today. There are many who can’t afford a meal a day. And
of course, electricity is largely a luxury; it’s only for the elite, like all
of us here.
“It is the dream
of very many to have I-pass-my-neighbour in their homes. When you say, ‘do not
use fossil fuel,’ but you have not provided alternatives. The world has not
looked at their situation. The world has not recognised that there is abject
poverty in the communities.
“We have to
resolve the issue of electricity so that we can talk about renewable energy in
the future and reduce the use of fossil fuel that has a high impact on the
environment. We know that there is an energy transition in the world. With
time, there will be less dependence on fossil fuel.
“We have gas in
abundance, we must create infrastructure that will help create gas for power
generation.
“We need power to
create jobs and we must create prosperity, so that we can have peace in our
country. We are grateful for this grant."
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