CAPPA to Tinubu: Prioritise green energy policies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise green energy policies that will reduce Nigeria’s dependence on fossil fuels.

In a statement on Tuesday, the organisation highlighted areas the president should prioritise including, the environment, education, human rights, economy, security and unity.

While encouraging the promotion of sustainable energy sources, CAPPA asked the president to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The organisation reminded the president of his promise to work in accordance with global green energy trends and promote environmental justice, adding that this will delist Nigeria from the top 10 gas-flaring nations.

“Indeed, we agree with this vision and believe that our natural resource wealth and strategic position on the global stage grants us ample leverage to spearhead global discourse on green energy, climate change and environmental sustainability,” the statement reads.

“We thus urge President Tinubu to prioritize green energy policies that will decentralize Nigeria’s reliance on fossil fuels and demonstrate to the world at large that economic prosperity and environmental stewardship can coexist.

“Education is another paramount area demanding immediate attention. A country is only as good as the quality of education bequeathed to its citizens. Yet, Nigeria has consistently struggled to prioritize education in its budgetary allocation, falling short of the recommended global benchmark of a 15-20 percent allocation of national budgets to education.

“We, therefore, call on the Tinubu administration to step up to upgrading national education quality and standards by allocating more funds to education and implementing across all levels of the system, advanced pedagogical infrastructure that fosters critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy and the acquisition of practical skills vital to improving national development and securing our spot in the global economy.

“As the president commences his tenure, we further appeal to him to fortify Nigeria’s democracy by safeguarding human rights, upholding the rule of law as promised during his campaign, and nurturing a government that is transparent, accountable, and immune to corruption and nepotism which have become the bane of our national progress.

“This is particularly important in the wake of the president’s bold move to eliminate fuel subsidies and re-channel funds toward the improvement of public infrastructure such as education, healthcare and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.

“We strongly advise President Tinubu to work to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on Nigerians and righteously manage the nation’s commonwealth to inspire a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive future for all.”