Economists urge govt, stakeholders to leverage renewable energy to boost efficiency

Economists and policy makers in Nigeria have urged governments at various levels and stakeholders in the energy sector to leverage diverse sources of clean and renewable energy resources such as solar, hydro and wind to boost energy efficiency.
Under the auspices of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES), the experts said the country should actively participate in regional gas and hydropower projects in collaboration with African Development Bank (AfDB) and other competitive funding institutions across the globe in order to effectively and efficiently harness her enormous potentials.
These were some of the recommendations at the last annual conference organised by NES, entitled ‘Post-2015 Global Development Agenda: Nigeria’s Engagement and Roadmap for Early Delivery in Nigeria,’ in line with the call by heads of state and government of the African Union to adopt concrete measures to ensure full realisation of the Post-2015 Global Development Agenda.
“The Federal Government is urged to strengthen its support to universities of science and technology, polytechnics, research centers and institutes for promotion of research and development,” said the economists, which included Philip Asiodu, Olu Ajakaiye, V.P. Diejomaoh, Francisco Ferreira (chief economist, Africa Region of the World Bank), and M.I. Obadan, among others.
“The Federal Government is urged to re-name the present Ministry of Science and Technology into Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation whose duties, among others, should be to document, patent, protect and promote research and innovation in Nigeria,” said the economists.
They said governments at all levels should ensure adequate staffing and funding of health and educational services to ensure inclusive and equitable distribution of quality health services and education, adding that in compliance with the African Union declarations, 20 and 15 percent of the budget should be allotted to education and health, respectively.
They counselled that incoming leaders should pragmatically embrace participatory development planning with associated strong plan-budget link, while urging a vigorous implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Infrastructure Action Plan (IAP) through alternative and cost effective investment options, especially in energy and transport (road, rail, seaport, and airport).
“Government should deepen social protection and safety nets for the vulnerable groups including provision of free health services for infants and pregnant women in rural areas as well as food and shelter to displaced people in crises torn communities,” they said.
The experts further said there should be policy consistency, coordination and coherence through effective data (evidence-based) generation and management for purposes of policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation.