Former Senator Dino Melaye has called on the Federal Government to make deliberate efforts toward diversifying Nigeria’s power sources, citing his personal success in transitioning to a 100% off-grid renewable energy system.
Speaking at the public presentation of a book titled Renewable Energy Law and Policy in Nigeria: A Crosscutting Perspective, authored by Professor of Law Bitrus Joseph Bulama, Melaye shared that he has disconnected from the national grid entirely.
The former lawmaker revealed that approximately 20 months ago, he removed his national grid meters and “folded the wires” at his residences in Abuja, Lagos, and his hometown.
”I can tell you that in one year and eight months, I’ve not paid a tariff, I’ve not bought diesel, and I have 24-hour electricity,” Melaye stated.
He emphasized that the lack of interruptions in his power supply serves as a practical testament to the benefits of renewable alternatives over traditional energy sources.
Addressing an audience that included the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Melaye urged the nation to embrace alternative energy as a matter of necessity.
”As a nation, we must look at other sources of energy. There is no solution to [the current crisis] other than that,” he said, adding that government intervention is crucial to scaling these solutions nationwide.
In a show of support for the author and academic development in his home state, Melaye announced that he would be purchasing multiple copies of the new book for several institutions.
The beneficiaries include:
The Kogi State Library, Kogi State University, Anyigba Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara Kogi State University, Kabba.
The former Senator, who humorously referred to himself as “unemployed” during his remarks, concluded by pledging to redeem his financial commitments to the institutions before the end of the event.
