The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has called stakeholders on telecommunications industry to tap the opportunity renewable energy offers to deliver quality services.
The NCC boss who stated this yesterday at the 6th annual conference of the Renewable & Alternative Energy Society of Nigeria (RAESON) held at the National Centre for Energy Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, decried the inability of the telecommunications industry to offer quality services at all times, saying that erratic power supply has not only contributed to poor service delivery but has also increased operational cost.
Represented by NCC’s Director Technical Standards, Engr. Fidelis Onah, Prof. Danbatta said that RAESON is a critical stakeholder in telecommunications since its contributions would help telecoms providers to deliver effective and efficient services to rural areas who are struggling with lack of power and access.
Speaking on theme of the conference, “Renewable Energy in the National Energy Mix”, he said: “Renewal and alternative energy sources have been in the forefront of proffering solutions to the challenges and crisis of global energy demands. It is one easy way of achieving cheap energy source and penetration. And this is not only about cost but also about its availability and sustainability.
“No country can develop, especially the small scale industry without good sustainable and affordable energy source. Bringing solution to this industry will go a long way into alleviating the problems of unemployment and high cost of living.”
Danbatta who was conferred with the fellowship of the society (FRAES) for his commitment to supporting the adoption of renewal energy, added that private partnership would help the government to prioritise renewal energy projects to drive the growth and development of the country.
Poor funding, manpower, technology base, energy, industrialization and lack of political will have all affected the implementation of renewal energy projects, NCC’s Vice-chairman/CEO had said.
Earlier, Engr. Umar B Bindir, the president of the 6th annual conference and Secretary to the State Government, Adamawa State, urged the members of the society to monitor global trends on renewal energy in order to gain insights on not only the technologies used but also the policies made.
Engr Bindir, who was represented by Prof. Raymond Akwule, said monitoring global trends will help the society to contribute enormously to addressing the energy problems of the nation.
He encouraged the members of the society to look at global agencies which support societies like RAESON so that they can continue to promote research and innovation in order to solve pressing problems, particularly power problems bedevilling the country.
On his part, RAESON’s National President, Prof. Chidi Akujor bemoaned the delays in addressing the challenges of inadequate power supply in Nigeria despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to tackle the problem in his inaugural speech.
Prof. Akujor said that it was distressing to hear that Nigeria’s electric power production capacity was nearly on the brink of collapse, adding that any solution to Nigeria’s electricity power challenges would require the inclusion of renewal energy in the energy mix.
RAESON’s president also said that the society is willing to partner with the government to solve the power problems confronting the nation.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba thanked the society for coming to the university to host its annual conference.
Prof. Ozumba who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellzor Academics, Prof. James Ogbonna, also reiterated his administration’s commitment to repositioning the university to become a research stronghold, saying that research can only make Nigeria competitive especially as the world is gravitating towards a knowledge-based economy.
