Reps to probe $200 million renewable ‎energy for north-east

‎The House of Representatives on Wednesday mandated ‎its Committee on Environment and Habitat to investigate the $200 Million Clean Technology Fund meant for Solar Energy Development in the North-East Zone.

The House committee was also directed to interface with the Ministers of Environment and Finance on the status of the project, including evidence of disbursement of the funds and report back within three weeks for further legislative action.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Shehu Aliyu Musa on the need to investigate the fund disbursement.

‎While moving the motion, Hon Musa said that, “Clean Technology Fund (CTF) is one of the two multi-donor Trust Funds within the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) which is meant to promote scaled-up financing for demonstration, deployment and transfer of low-carbon technologies with significant potentials for long-term greenhouse gas emissions savings”.

‎He however expressed concern that five years after the approval and subsequent release of the funds to the Federal Government, the project has not commenced.

To this end, he noted that “funding initiative in Nigeria was intended to help overcome the financing and market barriers for low carbon investments and support the deployment and application of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions in various industries, homes and service centres”.

According to him, “sometime in May 2012, the CTF Trust Fund Committee nominated Nigeria among Phase II beneficiary countries and allocated the sum of $250 million USD to finance its investment plan for renewable and clean energy with low carbon growth

“Out of the $250 million, $200 million was approved in the investment plan to finance the development of a 100 MW grid- connected solar power plant (renewable energy sector) in Bauchi and two other states in the North East based on feasibility and Federal Government support for initiatives in the development of the North East”,the lawmaker stated”

The motion scaled through when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara who presided over the session.