Implement policy framework to tackle energy problem – Senator Abiodun

Ini Billie, Uyo

Senator Yunus Abiodun, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly has urged the Federal Government to implement a policy framework to tackle the country’s energy problem.

He added that without a policy framework, energy poverty in the country will persist.

Speaking at the weekend in Uyo during the 2nd Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo’s Public Lecture on the theme, “Addressing Energy Poverty in Nigeria: Insights and Implementations for Rural Areas,” Abiodun explained that without the framework, development in rural communities will continue to suffer and potential across generations will be locked down.

The senator stated that the absence of the framework has resulted in the crude use of biomass fuel, leading to deforestation, exposure to unclean indoor air and other environmental and health hazards that kill the world’s poor through pneumonia, stroke heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.

“If appropriate policy frameworks are not put in place, the challenges of energy poverty will continue to ravage the rural communities and lock down their development potential across generations.

“This is because people will naturally resort to the crude use of biomass fuel which would eventually lead to deforestation, exposure to unclean indoor air and other environmental and health hazards that may result from noise generated from power generating sets and greenhouse gases.

“The burning of solid fuel fills the houses and huts in poorer rural communities with smoke that kills the world’s poor by causing pneumonia, and stroke. heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. The solid fuels responsible for this unwholesome experience include wood, crop residues, dung, charcoal, and coal.

“The solution to this is not far-fetched: a shift from solid fuels to modern energy sources. A major reason for Nigeria’s seemingly intractable energy poverty is its reliance on non-renewable energy sources and non-utilisation of abundantly available renewable sources. Thus, given the magnitude of energy poverty in Nigeria: adequate steps should be taken to give the average Nigerian access to modern energy sources,” he stated.