Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged the House of Representatives to allow state governments have input into the Electricity Bill 2022 by allowing them to generate electricity and develop at their pace.
Sanwo-Olu stated this, yesterday, during the handover ceremony of the Lagos State Integrated Energy Resource Plan (IRP), which was done by the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with America through the USAID and Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Programme (PA-NPSP).
He said: “This is about power partnership, which started eight years ago by the Barack Obama administration.
“Lagos State needs to increase its electricity generation capacity to help develop small businesses and grow the GDP of the state and Nigeria.
“I also call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to join us to resolve all the issues in the electricity bill.”
In his remarks, the state’s Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote, 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.
Odusote 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 of, American Consulate in Lagos, Williams Stevens, described electricity as the basis of economic growth, trade and investments and expressed the American government’s excitement at partnering with the state.
He said: “This is the main dream of former 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.”
