FG to explore a mix of energy sources to attain power needs- Osinbajo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Monday stated that the federal government was working to provide alternative energy sources through a mix of renewable and nuclear energy to improve power generation in the country.

He also disclosed that in addition to the existing mix of hydro and thermal sources of power generation, there were efforts to equally utilize

other sources of energy including the solar option.

The Vice President made the disclosure while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission led its Director-General, Dr. Erepamo Osaisai who came to present a report on the Implementation of Nuclear Power Programme for Nigeria, conducted in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)min Abuja.

“The long and short of it is that we definitely need a mix of energy choices because in the next decade such a mix will be imperative”, he said.

Earlier at the meeting, Dr. Dohee Hann, the Director, Nuclear Power at the International Atomic Energy Agency informed the Vice President that Nigeria as Africa’s leading economy needed to consider nuclear energy for electricity to address the power deficit.

Also, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Osaisai, disclosed that the presentation of the report to the Vice President was an important stage in the process, emphasizing that the report had articulated how the nation can meet the infrastructural need for nuclear power programme for the country.

In a similar development, the Vice President also stated that the Federal Government is committed to bringing succor to the people of the North-East whose lives have been affected by insurgency.

Osinbajo spoke while receiving the new World Bank Country Director to Nigeria, Mr. Rachid Benmessaoud yesterday.

He said: “We need to deal with the planning and implementation of the projects that will bring succor to the people of the North-East.”

Benmessaoud stated the resolve of the World Bank to provide assistance to the Federal Government for the North-East, adding that it was determined to work with the new Federal Executive Council in other areas including economic diversification.

The meeting had in attendance, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee in the North-East initiative, PCNI, General T. Y. Danjuma, the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the Budget and Planning Minister, Mr. Udoma Udo Udoma.