Reps task Energy Commission on job creation in 2023

The House Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, has charged the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) to channel its 2023 budget into job creation for youths in the country.

The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Beni Lar, said this at the 2023 budget defence of the House of Representatives on Tuesday in Abuja.

She said that the Commission must deploy workable strategies to inculcate life skills for youths for meaningful economic livelihood on renewable energy resources.

“We urge ECN to use 2023 budget to empower the youths thereby reducing the prevailing high unemployment rate and rising violent crimes ravaging the nation.

“This is a joint task that must be done and quickly too. This Committee with renewed vigour will strategically and consistently engage ECN to birth a new, reliable and futuristic source of foreign exchange earner for Nigeria which the renewable energy sector.

“To achieve these goals, the management of ECN must look beyond the meagre budgetary allocation, seek alternative funding platforms, create avenue for synergise and tap into global funds for the development of cleaner renewable energy sources,” she said.

Lar said that the Committee’s focus in 2023 was to unlock the investment potential in renewable energy, as well as transfer of proûtable renewable skills to Nigerian youths among others.

The lawmaker said that the ECN can no longer afford to shelf its expertise that can be beneûcial to the teeming Nigerian youths.

Prof. Jidare Bala, the Director-General, ECN, said that the N3.88 billion was earmarked for the agency in 2023 budget.

He said that N963.70 million was for capital expenditure, while N362.18 million was for overhead and N256.1 million for personnel cost, making a total of N3.88 billion.