By Abdullahi U. Danbakaba
A Professor of Chemical Engineering, in the School of Infrastructure, Process Engineering and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Engr. Prof. Moses Aderemi Olutoye has called on the government to shift focus to a renewable and sustainable feedstock as way to transform the country’s economy to be less dependent on fossil energy.
He made the call while delivering the 93rd inaugural lecture of the University titled, “Transforming the Nigerian Economy to be less Dependable on Fossil Fuel: Advocacy for Sustainable Alternative” on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at the University Auditorium, Main Campus Gidan Kwano.
Prof. Olutoye expressed concern that over dependence on fossil fuel as a source of of revenue generation is responsible for the worsening events in the natural physical outlook of the environment, restiveness in the oil producing communities and insecurity in the land.
“The current economic system is undermining our prosperity as it is destroying the natural foundations of our commercial activity,” the scholar lamented.
The don further stressed that a transformation is necessary for a benign environment to preserve the natural resources, adding that this will improve the well-being of the people.
Prof. Olutoye who highlighted that the advocacy for a renewable energy policy for the energy sector can achieve important outcomes such as, better resource management, innovations and productivity gains, reducing environmental damage and creating new markets and industries, also stressed the need for a deliberate government policy to create incentives for any individual to invest in maintaining the quality of the environment.
He said other sectors of the economy, such as agriculture and manufacturing should be given the opportunity to thrive and support revenue from petroleum, especially now that the price of oil is nose-diving, adding that a boost in research and development in the energy sector for transformation from the present structure is also required.
Speaking shortly after the presentation, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdullahi Bala, FSSSN, who described the presentation by prof. Olutoye as great also expressed gratitude to the inaugural lecturer.
Photos: Elijah Yisa