In a bid to secure healthier living conditions and economic self-reliance, a Non-governmental organization (NGO) has called on the people of Erema, an oil producing community in Rivers State to embrace renewable energy, describing it as the key to overcoming the damaging legacy of oil exploration.
The Quest for Growth and Development Foundation made the call during a one-day sensitisation meeting organised to mark the 2025 Africa Week of Action, themed “Kicks Total Out of Africa.”
The forum, held between 18 and 24 August, sought to draw attention to energy justice and the need for communities to reclaim control of their environment.
Coordinator of the Foundation, Mr Smith Nwokocha, said the dominance of fossil fuels had come at a heavy cost for Niger Delta residents, leaving behind degraded farmland, polluted waterways, and worsening health conditions.
“We want to give the community a strong voice and sensitise them to know their rights and educate them to own their energy system. With the same energy used to promote fossil fuels that destroy lives and health, why not switch it to renewable alternatives?,” he said.
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Nwokocha maintained that renewable energy could provide local empowerment, open up new economic opportunities, and ensure safer living conditions for residents who continue to bear the brunt of oil exploration.
Traditional ruler of Erema, His Royal Highness Eze Alexander Osa, backed the call, describing the toll of oil activities on the community as devastating.
“Our community needs help. The oil company that come have remove everything from our ground,” the monarch lamented. “Our ground is not yielding any food again. So many things are causing harm to us.
Some residents echoed his concerns, stressing that oil dependence had outlived its usefulness. They called for a new focus on agriculture, renewable energy, and small-scale enterprises as a way of securing sustainable livelihoods while mitigating the long-term health and social consequences of petroleum exploitation.
The Africa Week of Action is marked annually across the continent as part of efforts to mobilise communities against the harmful impacts of fossil fuels and to promote cleaner energy systems in line with global climate goals.
