Despite the fact the federal government is yet to ensure adequate power supply in the country, the Senate is seeking ban of electric generators.
This is even as the Senate, apart from resolving to outlaw the use of generators, is also proposing in a new bill ten years imprisonment for whoever imports the electricity generating sets.
It is funny that the bill is coming when the country is currently generating and distributing about 3,000mw to serve a huge nation’s population of over 200 million.
The federal government has been battling to tackle the myriads of challenges facing power generation in the country, without any reasonable success.
Because of the situation, the Senate recently resolved to review the privatisation of electricity supply to DISCOs.
The bill to ban electric generators is being sponsored by Senator Bima Enagi (Niger South) and has passed first reading in senate on Wednesday.
The ban is applicable to all types of generators except for ones providing essential services such as in hospitals and other health facilities.
The bill stipulates that “anybody who imports generating sets; or knowingly sells generating sets shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than ten years.
“all persons are hereby directed to stop the use of electricity generating sets which run on diesel/petrol/kerosene of all capacities with immediate effect in the country,” it stated.
According to the bill, generators used for “essential services include medical purposes (hospitals and nursing homes and healthcare facilities), airports and railway stations/ services.”
Other essential services allowed for use generators are elevators, escalators, research institutions and some facilities that require 24 hours electric power supply.
Solomon Ayado, Abuja
