Don’t politicize energy issues, ACEP recommends

The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has called for a distinct line to be drawn between politics and issues of energy.

It said African governments must cultivate the political will to take “hard decisions” on energy.

These were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 6 to commend sub-Saharan African leaders for signing the Power Africa Initiative with the United States of America.

The Initiative, which will start in six countries, is expected to add more than 10,000MW of power to more than 20 million people and commercial entities.

“ACEP is convinced that the Power Africa Initiative has identified the causes of Africa’s power problems – technology, investment, regulatory reforms.

Therefore if well implemented, the initiative could transform African economies and bring social and economic relief to the people.”

But it recommended that it is high time “hard” decisions were taken within the sector to ensure equitable distribution of energy to all.

“Political decisions have favoured popular views which are often at variance with economic sense. The hard decisions of withdrawing subsidies and incentivizing pricing to attract private investments cannot wait any longer as the very poor who are protected by subsidies are feeling even more the pinch of power cuts and low access rates.”