Shameful: Nigeria spends $5bn on generators annually- Dogara

- Honourable Dogara, speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, says Nigerians have been spending five billion dollars on generators annually 

- The speaker promised to support the executive to find a permanent solution to the power problem in the country 

- He agreed that power is arguably the single most important driver of the national economy 

The speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, said it was unacceptable that Nigerians spent five billion dollars on generators annually. He said the house would support the executive to find a permanent solution to the power problem in the country. 

 Dogara stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Power on three Bills pending before the
lower chamber. 

He explained that the lawmakers were reviewing some of Nigeria’s energy laws to provide appropriate legal framework that would facilitate the exploitation of renewable energy to the benefit of the economy. 

According to him, power is arguably the single most important driver of the national economy.

Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Rep. Daniel Effiong, had welcomed stakeholders and advised them to make inputs to enable the house to come out with enduring laws to grow the industry. 

The House had at the inception of the 8th Assembly, committed itself to a Legislative Agenda (2015 – 2019) to devise “Legislative Initiative on Power”. 
This was with a resolve that it “shall take legislative action to tackle Nigeria’s energy crisis that has led to a general collapse of industries and businesses and inflicted hardship on citizens.

“Legislative measures to support improved generation and distribution of electricity to homes and businesses will be encouraged.”

NAIJ.com had reported that the federal government vowed to render operators of electricity generating sets in rural areas “jobless” by meeting the energy demands of rural communities through sustainable renewal energy solution, News Agency of Nigeria reports. 

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo stated this at the inauguration of Nigerian Renewable Energy Roundtable on Tuesday, June 20, in Abuja. 

According to him, the government through the Rural Electrification Agency is already developing an energy database that will show community locations and energy demand profiles.

Naij.com