BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN—THE Federal Government has urged foreign and local investors in Nigeria to invest in the growing and processing of Jatropha plants so as to help solve the unemployment problem in the country.

Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, who made the call at the first national workshop on biodiesel production from Jatropha Curcas, at the University of Benin, UNBEN, weekend, said that Jatropha farming can be used to solve the unemployment problem in Nigeria because the biodiesel from Jatropha seeds as well as other by-products are now hot cake in the international market.

Pointing out that the Jatropha diesel was now a healthy source of aviation fuel in the world, the Minister emphasised that there was a paradigm shift from fossil-fuel to renewable energy considering its multiplier effect such as environmental safety and huge contribution to income generation and job creation.

On his part, Director, National Centre for Energy and Environment, Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN, UNIBEN, Dr. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the objective of the workshop was to sensitise Nigerians on the cultivation and sustainable use of Jatropha seed in the production of biodiesel.

According to him, “today climate change is of special concern to Energy sector since the production and use of Energy accounts for about 70 per cent of green house gas emissions. In an era where increased population growth, industrialization and urbanization is currently placing severe pressure on available energy resources.
“Stabilizing and reducing atmospheric green house gas concentrations are essential to global sustainability. A shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, like the production of fuel gotten from Jatropha in the fight against climate change ands increase over all energy efficiency is imperative” he stated.