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Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday called on the House of Representatives to allow state governments to have input into the Electricity Bill 2022, which will allow states to generate their own electricity and develop at their pace.
Sanwo-Olu made the call during the handover ceremony of the Lagos State Integrated Energy Resource Plan (IRP), put in place by the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with the United States of America through the USAID and Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Program, PA-NPSP.
Sanwo-Olu, in his address at the ceremony, said the project was about a power partnership which started eight years ago by the Obama administration, noting that Lagos could currently boast of being the biggest gas supplier in this country.
The governor, however, quickly said Lagos needed to increase its electricity generation capacity to help small businesses grow the GDP of the state and Nigeria, expressing the hope that in years to come Lagos IRP would have impacted more people.
“This is about a power partnership which started eight years ago by the Obama administration. Currently, Lagos can boast the biggest gas supply in this country.
“Lagos need to increase its electricity generation capacity to help develop small business and grow the GDP of the State and Nigeria. I hope when we look back in years to come, Lagos IRP would have impacted more people.
“I also want to use this opportunity to call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives to join us to resolve all the issues in the Electricity Bill,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
The State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Olalere Odusote, in his remarks, said the initiative was a 20-year partnership that would also involve the two electricity distribution companies in Lagos; Ikeja and Eko Discos, adding that it would transform the power deficiencies in Africa.
This was just as he asserted that electricity is the bases for human growth and development as well as the core foundation of development for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
“Electricity is the bases for human growth and development. Electricity is the core foundation of development for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration,” he said.
The commissioner further noted that the plan was aimed at identifying Infrastructure requirements and bridging gaps as well as bringing needed investments in the electricity sector.
The Consul-General, United States Consulate in Lagos, Williams Stevens, described electricity as the basis of economic growth, trade and investments and expressed the United States government’s excitement at partnering with Lagos State.
“This is the main dream for President Barack Obama for Africa’s development which started in 2014 and I am glad that eight years after it has come to full circle,” he said.
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