Reps panel pushes proposal for MDAs to use 50% electricity from renewable sources

The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy is pushing a proposal for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to source 50% of their electricity needs from renewable energy.

Speaking at an investigative hearing on the renewable energy sub-sector on Tuesday, Afam Ogene, Chairman of the Committee, said the proposal would improve sustainability, attract investment, and reduce public expenditure on power.

Ogene argued that achieving the 50% renewable energy for MDAs would have multiple benefits, including attracting investments, creating jobs, and promoting sustainability in the electricity sector.

He said the Committee’s inquiry aimed to identify gaps in current usage, improve adoption of renewable technologies, and ensure that federal agencies contribute to a more resilient and diversified energy mix.

Yhe hearing brought together stakeholders from government agencies and the renewable energy sector to examine the utilisation, funding, and procurement practices of clean energy projects across the country.

Ogene said the Committee had been tasked with three key mandates: investigating the allocation of green energy projects to inappropriate entities, reviewing foreign grants and government investments in the renewable energy sector since 2015, and assessing how MDAs currently use renewable energy.

The chairman highlighted concerns over procurement lapses, inadequate maintenance, and general inefficiencies in implementing renewable energy projects, warning that such failures not only waste public funds but also slow progress towards a more sustainable power infrastructure.

“If you look around you, in cities or rural areas, many streetlights installed for public benefit go bad in less than six months. Do streetlights in Europe and other parts of the world suffer the same fate? What could be responsible for this economic wastage, considering the high cost of procurement and installation?” He queried.

H also flagged challenges in obtaining cooperation from some MDAs involved in the management of renewable energy grants and investments, disclosing that investigations into foreign and domestic funding, mandated by the House since June 2024, had at times been stalled due to these uncooperative tendencies.

The chairman called on all stakeholders to collaborate with the committee in ensuring transparency and accountability in renewable energy procurement and project implementation. “Your participation is crucial to this endeavour,” he urged.

In his speech, Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House, expressed concerns o the multidimensional economic implications of poor electricity power challenges.

He said the huge cost implications of running businesses in the nation with generators, whether by big manufacturing companies or Small and Medium Scale outfits have adverse impact on the cost of living or living conditions of the people and economic and social developments.

According to Abbas the ” subject Renewable Energy is a sure way to go. Besides the need for clean energy, there’s also a growing conversation across board about sustainable development in every sphere of life, or sectors of corporate or governance structures.”