The Needed Learning and Adjustments Africa and the World Refuse Around Electricity

Electricity consumption has global impacts, so if countries truly care about climate change, then we should be seeing a more sincere collaboration around electricity. I am differentiating Africa from the world in this piece because Africa has both unique challenges and untapped opportunities around electricity and some rising evolutionary aspects. Arguably, Africa has the most electricity challenges that are far beyond blaming only African governments, but ordinary Africans, rich business folks beyond Africa, and even world governments. Africa does not have to go through the same route or late following in certain human development, including electricity. By learning, indeed, governments and the richest have the responsibility to take the lead; on adjustments, even the poor children should be pressured measurably. Electricity consumption should be divided into at least four different categories and approached differently.

First Category or under 100 watts: light bulbs and almost all under 100 Watts equipment should preferably be DC powered and wired for that purpose. This will mean a medium-sized power bank or battery will ascertain your house is not dark, your phones, routers, and laptops are all easily powered even during wars, riots, sabotage, etc... You do not need government approval to get started on such and one of the examples of the needed adjustments. Yes, governments and journalists should be educating the masses and rightly pressure them where need be. Some people may complain about the initial setup cost, but for an individual or small family, it can be as little as $200, including renewable energy like a small solar panel or wind turbine. If you can afford a lamb or xyz every year, a hundred dollar dress for bragging, save or consider a loan towards your freedom and less stress. Some governments may not like this suggestion because they may see it as less money and less control by governments. However, besides climate change, I think the risk of protests over electricity should warrant the sacrifice or compromise. Urge the people for months, follow up with an NGO or government loaning scheme, etc. It will also greatly reduce the load and help your other power ( electricity) providing opportunities.

Second Category or under 500 watts: This is the category we can simplify as 'rotating appliances': From fans, washing machines, modern refrigerators, etc fall under such category. Such devices should be wired separately, because many middle class folks can afford few solar panels or wind turbines to power such with ease, especially as battery evolution occurs. Again, the advice aspect is vital, because it accommodates the future too. Even small rice cookers can fall under this category. However, heat generating equipment, including big rice cookers are best separated. I think we should introduce small DC 'fans' and small adjustments to turn all old refrigerators to coolers; then explain and help the people access energy efficient new refrigerators. Old refrigerators are too costly to operate, so adjust, or raise the import taxes on them.

The adjustments in this category are mainly wiring costs that may reduce stress, visits to hospitals, and indeed more climate change consideration. So it is a long term savings. The unique adjustments for Africa are better building codes and more trees, because we honestly do not need fans and air conditioners, especially in the homes and offices. I have not used fans for years, I have them for mainly questionable guests or as emergency back-up for extreme heat waves or to 'cool' a research project... I happen to live in the suburbs and am a vegan, so people who live in certain areas or are not ready to adjust to the vegan lifestyle may not agree or understand this aspect. As for governments, you have the obligation to plan cities in better ways, including having enough 'food forests' and air-providing parks. Some countries are requiring compounds to have trees, but I think it is best to regulate by areas, not by compounds. Dedicate enough areas for trees and let compound owners have options. The natural air is much better for our health. I fully understand some people may still turn on the fans as evident in some folks in our compound, even though the neighbourhood and the trees in the compound, plus the big windows provide enough air for my type. After 7:00 pm, when the sun was away and nice air was freely supplied, my sister in law turn-on the fan to pray. Left the fan on after praying and I chastised her to turn it off. Minutes after, my niece was trying to turn the fan back on, then electricity went off. Was it overloaded by thousands or millions of Gambians like them in unnecessary consumption is an open debate. Every sane person understands reducing consumption may greatly help, but how many will try to adjust, complain, or suggest in which ways? I remember 'guilty' Obama appealing to Americans on what to turn off, but the guiltier president Barrow, Tinubu, Faye, and their opposition leaders may never suggest adjustments or may claim they just provide enough power and we make endless questionable babies?

Third category or 1000 to 2000 watts: First, you may accuse me of skipping the 500 to 1000 watts category, but that is because not many equipment fall under that category in my humble opinion. If you disagree, let us put such equipment in this third category. The third category is what I largely called 'heat generating' equipment. Your iron, microwave, electric kettle, etc, are huge consuming equipment at the home level. They need to be wired separately and one can sacrifice to have them around the kitchen in most small family compounds to reduce wiring cost. Again, these are adjustments some will neglect and prefer to complain. I know not all people may be willing to adjust like I do, but it is worth trying and millions may do it with more sensitization. I hardly use a microwave, because I take out my vegan food and place it under the sun to defrost where need be. Even where I forgot, I may use tactics like putting such in water and under the sun, then use a knife a few minutes after to break it down. It will save me money and am not stingy; but it also makes me feel good understanding what consumption does to power outages against others and its impact of climate change.

Clearly, some personal adjustments are feasible in this category, as I am the living evidence and how many millions may join my type? I think industrial collaboration or adjustments are feasible. New well designed '300 to 500 watts' permanent day+ heaters or slow cookers can be designed for warm places like Africa. Once you reach certain temperatures, maintaining is a lesser challenge, depending on design. Again, many middle class folks will then be able to cook, warm, dehydrate, etc with solar or xyz, freeing up gas demand, charcoal , etc and helping the children we invite in our questionable world. Which governments or rich folks are ready to research and help the people adjust?

The fourth category or over 2000 watts: This is largely the industrial level, including some small businesses. It is mainly the government, a generator, or heavy investment on renewables that can accommodate this category. I won't waste much time on this category, because less than ten percent of the African population are directly affected by this category.

Some questionable writers and journalists are politically or falsely echoing each other that 'Electricity is a right' in our age , lead to development, etc but the realities are much more complex. Clean air, health, learning opportunities, etc are certainly a higher right than electricity, especially questionably powered electricity. Once you are in a difficult situation, see which adjustments as immediate opportunities and which learning as short-term or long-term opportunities.

My country, the Gambia, happens to be going through serious electricity challenges these days. Considering, our electricity supply is reportedly linked to both Senegal and Guinea Conakry, I will assume the mentioned countries are similarly affected. I have read Ghana and many other African countries having electricity problems. So the issue is deep for decades after so-called independence for many countries, but centuries after electricity was invented. The solution demands humble listening and switching ways. I have already hinted many adjustments from personal to business levels, but that does not mean I am giving the government a pass . President Barrow, the spokesman, or xyz should have come on TV, appeal to Gambians or xyz with adjustment oriented messages: 'we suspect this is a technical issue and the heavy rising loads may be a factor, explain a few adjustments the public can do...' send through social media as well.

President Barrow claiming 'we are working with our partners...' is in some way illusory and shameful. African leaders are yet to have solid plans in virtually any major area or truly understand the deeper realities of international relations in a largely capitalist world. In my article 'Researchers Access Store (RAS) ', I clearly indicated how Africa is working on mainly at the 'tail' and still doing badly in that small aspect. How many African leaders have solid plans to manufacture medium to large power supply for the populace? You may call them 'partners' in political language, but you are really consumers and they are producers who want you as permanent consumers. You refuse national and continental research and development partnership to tackle each category in what percentages? If you do not partner-up at the research level, then 'partnering' at the buying level for years of 'negotiations' is like a 'worthless' immature man begging for sex, or the 'tail' dilemma in a loop. Like you buy sex or your questionable wives in Africa +, you want to forever buy products, never try to make needed products? Can you make solar cells or the glass to tackle category one? Can you partner up in such research or dedicate what percentage of your electricity budget on that? Can you try battery research, nuclear powered batteries, hemp powered batteries, or which award oriented research can you reach out for? If you need outside 'partners' to even repair your machines, then you are yet to master even the service aspect. By the way, capitalism is brutal and with near zero conscience. So I cannot rule out unnecessary changes in power generators to complicate repairs or to be able to destroy the machines from a distance for money or in times of wars. What are you learning about Iran power bombing threats or Cuba struggling from the heartless capitalists, or one point choking? You called them 'partners', but they may see you as 'useless or usable consumers' at different levels. A high school student in the u.s or xyz may have the courage that research or four years in college can lead him or her to manufacture or invent better than present power generators or renewable energies. However, president Jawara, Jammeh, and Barrow or the xyzs in your respective African countries refuse smart plans towards manufacturing within months or five to ten years, regarding which equipment? They think it will take decades or centuries for Africans to invent even with RAS and other measures? They think the government has no role to facilitate research or by which decade after independence and endless buying of overpriced products with questionable discounts and bribes? Even the opposition in some countries can introduce private bills (laws) to force ten percent or xyz percent of all purchases beyond million dollar should match towards the R& D budget for the next fifty years. Politicians with no long term plan or too pessimistic about the potentials of their living and unborn citizens will rush to buy, buy, buy, to win votes of the gullible public. The journalists will be divided, blaming or defending the officials, hardly suggesting to the government in high spirit, the richest, or the guilty public or guilty-victims.

At the global level, we heard the remarkable batteries China invented for the elite on electric vehicles. Although every country should invest in R & D for better batteries, some global collaboration or compensation to access and try to improve certain innovations is vital. The u.s blocking China+ on AI chip access, and China refusing to share what may reduce climate change is the shameful 'competition' of humankind in our age? I am not suggesting free access, but reasonable compensation for not just affordability, but improving innovation through more research. The endless buyers may giggle and refuse to further research, they may rather spend everything on infrastructure for votes. Well, similarly, a high school student in u.s or xyz can understand research can lead to inventions like better than caterpillars, other equipment, or a completely different system of building roads. You buy their used equipment, over pay to repair them, and the nasty loop continues. Even better, research to invent tiny flying vehicles to make electric cars obsolete, no more bridges or railways in which percentages? Can you be optimistic about the potentials of your citizens or which levels of partnership can we try at Africa or global level? Can you invite ten engineers from Ghana, Nigeria, etc towards the Gambia for a special research of our assigned or chosen area? Can every three universities/countries in Africa+ be tasked separately on research or area towards consolidating the best concentration of great minds and efficient research distribution budgets? Will ten to thousands of white, Asians, or black Americans who truly love Africa or humankind join if you reasonably compensate and promise which rewards if achievements are made? Well, you claim on video records that 'it takes years of negotiations to buy from your partners'; so do not say months or years of research is useless. These days, you can have research under cameras without Internet connections, and the relay team of researchers can impress the Lord of knowledge and deliver by when? Set reasonable conditions and understand learning demands effort, truth, and humble patience, as per the inner insight of ch.103. The questionable opposition leaders are hardly any better, may never suggest or rightly pressure the voters, and may politicize every situation with dishonest points. They may mislead the gullible public on the questionable international aids that come with good and/,or bad conditions. May God bless me to satisfaction, bless humankind with leaps and super leaps in the world of batteries and worldwide culture of great cameras. May God bless Showlove Trinity: let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn