Communities, Groups Lament Land Grabbing, Oil Pollution in Africa
The Oilwatch Africa network members, community representatives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) have lamented the destruction of livelihoods and local economies by the polluting activities of fossil fuels industries, the issues of land grabbing, displacements and the marginalisation of communities in Africa.
They declared opposition to the use of public funds to subsidise fossil fuel in the continent. The groups, say, political corruption and abuse of power are major problem faced by the people.
The groups maintained that African government must urgently diversify the national economies away from dependence on fossil fuel, exploitation of the people and the destruction of the gift of nature.
The conference analysed Africa’s energy needs and the politics of a just transition, the challenges of fossil fuels funding in African countries and the way Africa should go about renewable energy in relation to land tenure and land use.
It also declared full support for the demands of the Save Lamu movement, that governments should urgently transit to renewable energy for all, owned and controlled by people.
Participants at the conference included representatives from Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Togo and Uganda.