BY OLUWATOSIN IGHOTEGUONO
Wife of the Governor of Ondo State, Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu says the present power crisis affecting the country will persist unless the government diversifies the energy sources in domestic, commercial, and industrial sectors and adopts new technologies to reduce energy wastages and to save cost.
She also stressed the need for credible and reliable energy alternative to the protracted electricity challenges.
Mrs Akeredolu stated this during the Renewable Energy Stakeholders’ Confrence held in Lagos State.
She explained that Bemore Empowered Girls’ Foundation, through its annual summer boot camp, has contributed no less than 25 thousand watts to the country’s national electricity grid by training secondary school girls in solar technology, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other life-enhancing skills, bridges gender parity gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Entrepreneurship (STEM+E).
The wife of the Ondo state governor who was a Special Guest of Honour at the event, encouraged that Nigeria should take advantage of the opportunities presented by renewable energy resources in sustainable development, adding that the country needs to establish renewable energy markets and gradually develop experience with relevant technologies in the sector
Mrs Akeredolu noted that the standard of living of a given country can directly be related to the per capita energy consumption and that energy is fundamental for socioeconomic development and poverty eradication.
She regretted, however, that between 60% to 70% of Nigerian population does not have access to electricity.
In his remarks, the outgoing President of REAN, Segun Adaju, appreciated Mrs Akeredolu for her huge investment in girl child development and for doing so much for the country through the Bemore Empowered Girls’ Foundation.
The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, REAN, presented Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, with a special award of recognition for her outstanding contributions to the renewable energy sector and for her invaluable support for REAN over the years.