Page 14 - AfrElec Week 35 2021

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AtionAid Nigeria, a nongovernmental country would also increase, in addition public finance from the global North, ending
organisation, has decried the reported to possible job losses in the already ailing tax dodging and dropping the debt.
directive of the Nigerian Electricity medium and small-scale enterprises sector in Providing key insights of the report, Dipti
Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the 11 Nigeria. Bhatnagar, the coordinator of the Climate
Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) Justice and Energy program for Friends of the
to increase their tariffs as from September 1, Earth International, said: “People are facing
2021. multiple crises on this continent.
ActionAid Country Director, Ene Obi, who SUSTAINABILITY “We need to stop the climate crisis and
stated this to journalists on Tuesday, in Lagos, bring about a just and feminist energy
added that the increase in tariff will further Friends of the Earth transition that actually serves the need of
erode the purchasing power of Nigerian people and planet.
workers, in formal and informal sectors, as launches Just Recovery “This report shows the way to power
well as further impoverish more Nigerians. Africa with renewable energy while also
“The increase in electricity tariff is not only plan for Africa trying to stem the climate crisis, supporting
ill-timed but insensitive to the precarious employment, gender justice, reducing
plight of Nigerians whose lean disposable Friends of the Earth, FoE, Africa, has inequality and pushing for a just recovery.
incomes are already decapitated,” Ms Obi said. launched ‘A Just Recovery Renewable Energy “The finance for this exists. We demand
She observed that the previous hike in Plan for Africa’ which offers a practical and our leaders show the political will for this
electricity tariffs had not translated into much-needed opportunity to change the urgent transition.”
effective and regulatory strategies, to manage trajectory of energy development, distribution This view was shared by another panellist,
the impact of such hikes on macro-economic and access on the African continent. Kwami Kpondzo of Friends of the Earth Togo,
indices affecting end-users that are currently The report stresses the urgency to who said: “It is time for African governments,
economically crippled and trapped. democratise energy systems, reduce the power public and private financial institutions to
Ms Obi reminded the federal government of transnational corporations and enable end their interest and investment in dirty
“that more than a hundred million Nigerians peoples and communities to access sufficient energy in Africa and open the doors further
are living below the poverty line”, saying energy to live a dignified life. for democratised, low-cost renewable energy
that instead of the tariff hike, NERC should The report, which was launched during accessible to all including women, youth, local
compel all the actors in the Nigerian a webinar with key climate justice voices, communities and indigenous peoples.”
electricity supply industry, to ensure increased demands a complete shift from current dirty The discussions and comments during
efficiency in the power sector. energy systems to achieve 100% renewable the launch highlighted the importance of
“This should include managing energy energy in Africa. understanding the potential of RE to affect
loses to make erratic power supply a thing of The plan found that it is technically and different sectors and groups of society,
the past, as a way of boosting productivity and financially feasible, with an annual investment specifically women.
Nigeria’s GDP. requirement of around US$130 billion per Trusha Reddy, Programme Head for
“We urge NERC to rescind this decision year. It lays out clear targets for this vision, Energy & Climate Justice at WoMin African
and ensure that the Nigerian electricity supply with over 300GW of new renewable energy Alliance, stressed that “our governments
industry improves its performance, before by 2030, as agreed by the African Union, and can either go with increasing energy access
considering a tariff increase,” she said. over 2000GW by 2050. through clean energy that supports and is led
She equally said that if the purported It also shows that the finance and by women or to get locked into dirty energy
decision was not reconsidered, the cost of investment needed to achieve the 100% and drive us to climate and ecological crisis.”
production of basic items produced in the renewable energy goal can be done through

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