The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has strongly refuted allegations made by former federal lawmaker Dino Melaye concerning President Bola Tinubu’s decision to implement a solar power project at Aso Rock.
Melaye reportedly suggested that the move indicated the administration had abandoned its commitment to national power generation, a claim TMSG has labeled as “uneducated and uninformed.”
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG highlighted the significant financial and environmental benefits of the solar initiative.
The group questioned how a project designed to save the country billions of naira annually could be twisted into a political tool to mislead Nigerians.
“As a former lawmaker, it is expected that Dino Melaye would have been aware of budget defence sessions where bureaucrats from State House presented annual budgets for electricity supply running into billions of naira for the Presidential villa,” the statement read.
TMSG pointed out that Aso Rock’s yearly electricity bill had recently escalated to N47 billion, excluding the substantial costs associated with diesel and maintenance for existing generators.
The group further explained that the N17 billion solarization project represents a one-off payment for an off-grid power supply, a measure expected to yield considerable cost savings by eliminating recurring electricity bills and the need to replace aging generating plants.
The State House Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashola, had previously informed senators that the project would also save hundreds of millions of naira in generator replacement costs.
As an example of its efficacy, TMSG cited the State House clinic, which has been entirely off the national grid since May of the previous year due to a successful solar power system.
Beyond financial prudence, TMSG emphasized the broader positive impacts of the project.
The electricity supply previously allocated to the State House will now be redirected to communities within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), thereby enhancing the national grid’s capacity for public use.
The group expressed dismay that a seasoned lawmaker would overlook such benefits.
Addressing Melaye’s assertion that the administration has “given up on power,” TMSG countered by detailing several ongoing government efforts to improve the power sector.
These include paving the way for decentralization of the sector through legislation, aggressively driving the Siemens Power Project (Presidential Power Initiative) initiated by the previous administration, resolving legacy debts owed to electricity-generating companies (GENCOs), and rolling out millions of free smart meters to combat estimated
billing.
Finally, TMSG underscored Nigeria’s commitment to its net-zero emissions target by 2060.
The group stated that the administration’s push for the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative (NPSSI), connecting the State House and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to solar power, aligns with the global transition to cleaner energy sources and reduced carbon emissions.
In conclusion, TMSG urged Melaye to engage in more informed public discourse, suggesting he seek further education on such matters to avoid bringing disrepute to the National Assembly, where he once served.
