Climate Crisis: Stakeholders Advocate for Energy Democracy in Nigeria

    Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

    Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have advocated for the democratisation of energy in Nigeria, insisting that it is cheaper and will be affordable by all Nigerians irrespective of their status and background.

    This call was made at a two-day workshop on ‘Climate Crisis and Energy Transition’, organised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).

    In his presentation, Mr. Chima Williams, executive director of Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), explained that with the transition to renewable energy, if achieved, would reduce the challenges of climate crisis, especially as fossil fuel, which has caused serious damages to the environment, would then be phased off.

    He explained that the democratisation of energy would mean sourcing different ways of generating power, which will contribute positively to the growth of the country’s economy.

    Williams believed that if the government stops some obnoxious practices associated with fossil fuel and go into renewable energy sources, it would tackle the issue of climate crisis in this part of the world.

    According to him, “Having an energy grid that is up national grid and domesticated, the people owns the processes. When they own the process in terms of how it is sourced, in terms of how it is managed, in terms of who get what, when and how, in terms of how payment are made for its sustainability, in that way, they own the energy source, how it is managed and they protect it; it makes energy cheaper, available and affordable for the people.

    “The issue of energy and climate are intertwined because the activities that result to the incidence of climate change mostly from Nigeria is the incidence of fossil fuel extraction. The bi-product of fossil fuel in terms of gas is being burnt off through the incidence of gas flaring for instance, and this creates enormous greenhouse emission that contributes to climate impact or climate change.

    “If we go into energy democracy, it will be a compound win for everybody and taxes can be paid to government and of course those energy cannot be given free of charge but because it is affordable, available, and cheap, the people will easily pay for it and the government will generate revenue, the people are happy, both the companies that will invest in it.”.

    On his part, an environment activist in the region, Mr. Celestine Akpobari, faulted the government for claiming to be transiting to renewable energy when it is still sourcing for oil wells to extract oil. He described such an action as hypocrite.

    “We are talking about just transition. This thing must be available and affordable. When you said you are transiting and the poor man cannot have electricity or you claim you are moving from fossil fuel but you are still looking for new oil wells, you are still taking 30 percent to go and look for oil well and you said you are transiting. That is not just transition, it means you will tune down on activities that emit carbon into the atmosphere.

    “So they are deceiving themselves. That is hypocrisy. They must democratise the process, only when that happens, that the poor man can benefit from it. You cannot just sit in your house and at the end of every month they come to your gate and guess the energy you have consumed and give you bill whether there was power or not,” he stated.

    Earlier, the Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, said the workshop was designed to enhance the knowledge of participants, including CSOs, journalists and community representatives on emerging issues in the global climate change trend and energy transition.