Onu: Why Nigeria, Others Spent $300bn on Renewable Energy in 2016

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

The Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu, monday disclosed that more than 100 countries including Nigeria, spent $300 billion on renewable energy because of the need to preserve the environment for future generations yet unborn.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on some of the decisions reached by Ministers of Science and Technology from more than 100 countries-members of the International Renewable Agency (IRENA)-at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Onu, said it was agreed that countries should move away from using fossils energy because of its negative impact on the environment and climate.
According to him, the production of carbon dioxide through fossil fuel is known to be responsible for climate change, adding that there is need to preserve the environment and hand over the planet to future generations so that the planet will be habitable for them.

He said: “For the first time since 2016, the world spent $300 billion in promoting renewable energy and so many countries are increasing the percentage contribution of renewable to their energy mix.
“This platform is being supported and encouraged by rich countries in crude oil and they are doing this for economic reasons because it is important to make sure that you diversify your own source of energy.
“If in the future, solar energy is competitive through the utilisation of science and technology in research and innovation and if you don’t play a role it means you may be regret in future.”

The minister said it is gratifying that Nigeria was elected as one of the four Vice Presidents to set agenda for its eighth meeting in Abu Dhabi in January 2018.
On government’s input at renewable energy generation, he said: “Government, through NASENI, is diversifying its energy mix through production of solar panels at Karshi in FCT, stressing that this is highly being patronised by Nigerians.

“The ministry is at advanced stage of generating two megawatts of electricity from the Dutsima river in Katsina and Osun States.”

According to him, the Energy Commission, through the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, has attained about 80 percent completion on an experimental project on solar energy production in different parts of country.
On his trip to Ethiopia, he said the need to eradicate the trypanosomiasis from the country, he said necessitated his visit also to Ethiopia, where the tsetse flies facility for the production of the male sterile tsetse is being deployed for the eradication of the disease.

The minister however said the trypanosomiasis institute in Kaduna, established in 1945, has helped in reducing the tsetse fly and eradicating the disease from three local government areas in Oyo State.

“Researchers in the institute have done a lot of work and most recent was the work in Oyo State, as they gave helped in eradicating trypanosomiasis from three local government areas out of nine in the state, where there were wild tsetse flies and rendered the places freed through developing the technology to do so.

“Here, the cattlemen will be well catered for milk production. Therefore, controlling tsetse fly is important for the country because of food security challenge,” Onu said.

While calling on Nigerians to embrace science and technology as pathway for the country’s development, he said We provision has been made in the 2017 for the establishment of science and technology television to encourage young Nigerians cultivate interest in science.
“We need to have our television and technology channels that will be broadcasting 24 hours to our young people so that all the superstitious belief will be corrected.
“We will not rest until Nigeria fully embraces science and technology for development for the good of all to create jobs.” he said.