African Civil Society Is Broken - Throw It In The Bin
Why did Bill Gates give $1.7m to a Kenyan NGO leading a destructive campaign against the African Development Bank? I explore.
Donor funds from eccentric American billionaires and shadowy Western government institutions are funding African NGOs involved in political and economic sabotage on the continent.
I explore why this is happening.
Your exploration of this matter is intriguing, both thoughtful and informative. Much as I don't support foreign donors undermining the effort of African Development Bank in developing the energy sector, the truth must be told that the failure of African countries in providing uninterrupted electricity led to the meddling of these foreign donors in the power sector. Do we need to look far to cite an example? Of course not! Our dear native land Nigeria's electricity agency, NEPA or whatever new name it has become, is a poster child of gross inefficiency in power sector management. The epileptic power supply led to the massive importation of all manners of generators that depend on fossil fuels- diesel and petrol to generate electricity. The adverse effect of the greenhouse gases emitted from the burning of these fossil fuels into the environment is well documented as causative agents to global warming. With our " government work no be my Papa work" or nonchalant attitude towards public policy for public good, Nigeria is unlikely to fix its energy "wahala" (problems) in our lifetime. I believe that it was the realisation that uninterrupted electricity supply is impossible for over 200 million Nigerian living in mostly forgottten rural settings that made renewable energy especially off grid solar technology gain increasing attention in recent times. Solar energy is a low hanging fruit for a country that is planless with rudderless leadership and its citizens lacking compassion for their neighbours. My community Emeabiam in Owerri West local government, one of the most marginalised communities in Imo state has been in darkness for almost two years due to non-replacement of spoilt transformer and vandalised NEPA transmission lines but with four solar panels, two batteries and one inverter, a 24/7 electricity supply to your home is guaranteed. This is a technology that is within our reach made possible by years of continuous research on efficiency and cost reduction of materials. So what are we waiting for?
In conclusion, power generated by fossil fuels can still go hand in hand with renewable energy in order to meet our energy needs. However, evidence abounds that fossil fuels are finite while renewable energy sources like solar are clean and inexhaustible! If you ask me, which way forward? Given the abundance of sunlight in Nigeria and Africa in general, I will say, let's invest in solar technology! The world is moving towards that direction and we must not be left behind. Let's review the curriculum of engineering departments of our universities to embrace the innovations in the renewable energy sector. With the emerging trend in the sector, before you say Jack Robinson, NEPA will become a foot note like NITEL.
Thanks David for all you do in creating awareness and helping people think.