Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Environmental stakeholders in the Niger Delta have urged Nigerians to demand concrete local weather change and power transition insurance policies from political candidates forward of the 2027 normal elections.
They made the decision on the 2026 annual assembly of the Africa Just Transition Network (AJTN), held in Port Harcourt, with the theme: “Building Collective Power for a Just Transition in Nigeria.”
Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), Dr. Michael David, mentioned Nigerians wanted to unite to demand insurance policies that addressed local weather change, meals insecurity and power poverty.
David mentioned the 2027 election campaigns ought to concentrate on candidates’ plans to construct local weather resilience and guarantee entry to inexpensive, clear power somewhat than being dominated by ethnic, non secular and regional issues.
He mentioned susceptible Nigerians struggling to satisfy primary wants typically discovered it troublesome to organise collectively, stressing that environmental safety and entry to scrub power affected everybody.
According to him, Nigeria dangers accumulating stranded fossil gas belongings because the world transitions to cleaner power, whereas communities proceed to endure air pollution from oil and coal operations.
David mentioned the nation already had insurance policies, together with the Climate Change Act and Just Transition Policy, however implementation remained weak, significantly at state and native authorities ranges.
He urged state governments to utilise the Electricity Act, which empowers them to generate, transmit and distribute electrical energy, to develop entry to scrub power.
The GIFSEP government director additionally known as for elevated funding in clear cooking options, noting that the excessive price of fuel compelled many households to depend on firewood and charcoal, exposing girls to dangerous air pollution.
Coordinator of the Africa Just Transition Network, Mr. Friday Nbani, mentioned the organisation was working with group teams and civil society organisations to deal with fuel flaring, coal mining and different actions contributing to local weather change.
Nbani mentioned the community, which had 88 member organisations throughout 28 African international locations, would develop a roadmap for participating authorities on environmental safety and a good power transition.
He mentioned group consciousness and schooling have been important to making sure that the transition didn’t undermine livelihoods, including that the community would advocate elevated funding in renewable power and local weather finance.
Also talking, Co-lead of the Africa Just Transition Network in Nigeria, Dr. Stella Amanie urged authorities to make sure that power transition insurance policies have been inexpensive, inclusive and gradual, significantly for ladies and susceptible communities.
Amanie, who can also be Executive Director of the Society for Women and Youth Affairs, mentioned communities should be carried alongside in the transition to cleaner power to stop additional hardship.
A participant from Benue, Agernor Torkuma, mentioned rising adoption of photo voltaic power in Nigerian properties demonstrated the potential of renewable power, however known as for measures to deal with affordability considerations and the nation’s dependence on crude oil income.
