By Ladi Patrick
National president of Jatropha Growers, Processors and Exporters Association of Nigerian (JAGPEAN), Major General J. Omosebi (Rtd) has disclosed that about 12 million litres of diesel were consumed daily in the country.
The president, who stated this recently in Abuja, said blending with 20 percent biodiesel, the country needed 2.4 million litres of biodiesel daily while for 365 days 876 million would be required. According to him, there were very little data of the Jatropha available in the country, stating that it is believed that it is insignificant to the quantity that were required for the policy.
“To stem this trend, the farmers’ Association has begun to compile the data to know the short fall that would be required. We are also aware that it takes about 4-5 years for the plant to mature depending on rainfall and soil condition”, he said.
The president disclosed that for some years many people have advocated the need to use the Jatropha oil and its derivatives as alternative to the fossil fuel to diversify the economy.
He stated that pleas were not acknowledged then because the fossil fuel provided the needed funds. However, the president said the sudden fall in oil prices and the difficulty of accessing the oil fields, informed the need to seek for alternative sources of revenue which became paramount.
Mr Omosebi explained that Jatropha has come in handy to provide the survival strategy needed to reduce the vulnerability of the economy stating that it is gratifying and cheering that the federal Government has signed the Paris agreement on mitigation of climate change.
“Each signatory member of conference of parties ‘COP21 of the international body was required to declare what it would contribute to the reduction of adverse climate change in a document called Intended Nationally Determined Contribution INDC,” he said.
According to him Nigeria prepared its INDC, signed it and has deposited it in the COP/UN secretariat. The president informed that INDC states that it would reduce the consumption of fossil based diesel by blending 20 percent of biodiesel into every litre of fossil diesel AGO, that would be consumed by it by 2020, while it would do the same with petrol blending 10 percent of ethanol into every litre of premium motor spirit PMS, consumed in the country.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the ministry of petroleum resources to review and update the Bio Fuel policy while the reviewed policy would give the NNPC Mandate to purchase all biodiesel ethanol produced for the 20 percent/10 percent blending in addition to providing the institutional framework to ensure that the policy were carried out faithfully.
http://nigerianpilot.com/nigerians-consumes-12-million-litres-diesel-daily-jatropha-president/
Adedapo Adesanya 
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