By Janet Samuel
Declaring that access to electricity must be treated as a fundamental right rather than a privilege, the Fourth Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Billay Tunkara, has called for stronger regional cooperation and harmonized energy policies to accelerate rural electrification and guarantee reliable power to every community across West Africa by 2030.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Delocalized Joint Committee Meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament in Dakar, Senegal, Tunkara said the West African Power Pool (WAPP) remains central to the region’s ambition of achieving universal access to electricity and unlocking economic opportunities for millions living in rural areas.
The meeting, which brings together the Committees on Energy and Mines, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, is examining the theme: “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”
”Our aim and objective is that by 2030, West Africa should have 100 per cent coverage in terms of access to electricity,” Tunkara said. “We want member states to renew their commitment, particularly towards rural communities, because these areas require greater attention.”
He stressed that the ECOWAS Parliament sees electricity as a catalyst for economic growth, youth employment and entrepreneurship, while also addressing post-harvest losses faced by rural women engaged in agriculture.
”We see electricity not as a privilege, but as a right. Every child, whether living far or near, should have access to electricity,” he said.
According to him, access to reliable energy can transform the lives of women farmers who spend months cultivating vegetables and fruits only to lose much of their produce because of inadequate storage facilities.
”If there are refrigeration facilities powered by electricity, the pains and hardship of labour can be preserved through better storage, ensuring that the efforts of rural women are not wasted,” he added.
Tunkara described cross-border cooperation as indispensable to the success of the region’s energy agenda, saying regional integration cannot be achieved without member states supporting one another.
”The West African Power Pool is a manifestation of regional integration,” he said, citing the Sambangalou Dam project in Guinea, which supplies electricity to Senegal and The Gambia and complements national efforts to expand energy access.
He explained that neighbouring countries often rely on one another to extend electricity to communities located near border areas, making cooperation more practical and cost-effective.
”Senegal supplies electricity to complement our national efforts, and in some border communities we also supply electricity to parts of Senegal because of geographical realities. Cross-border cooperation allows member states to address deficiencies and strengthen energy security,” he noted.
The Gambian lawmaker identified regulatory disparities and tariff differences among member states as major obstacles slowing regional renewable energy projects.
”We need to harmonize our legal frameworks and advocate common tariffs so that we can all speak the same language in terms of legal instruments governing electricity,” he said.
According to him, wide variations in electricity tariffs across countries make it difficult to ensure equitable access and seamless regional energy trade.
”Where one country charges excessively high rates and another charges lower rates, it becomes difficult. As parliamentarians, we are looking at these regulations and seeking ways to harmonize them for the benefit of the entire region,” he said.
Tunkara expressed optimism that the ongoing meeting in Dakar would produce concrete recommendations and resolutions aimed at improving energy access for rural populations across the sub-region.
He said the recommendations from the joint committees would be presented before the ECOWAS Parliament for deliberation and adoption before being transmitted to the ECOWAS Commission and subsequently to Heads of State and Government for consideration and implementation.
”The discussion will not stop here. The recommendations will be tabled before the Community Parliament, and after deliberations, resolutions will be forwarded to the Commission for onward transmission to the Authority of Heads of State and Government,” he said.
As West Africa intensifies efforts to harness renewable energy and close the electricity gap, Tunkara maintained that regional solidarity and coordinated policies would be critical to ensuring that no community is left behind in the drive toward universal energy access.
”If we are to integrate and cooperate, cross-border cooperation is indispensable. Together, we can ensure that every West African child grows up with access to electricity and the opportunities it brings,” he said.