Last week's sad declaration by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) that about 60 million Nigerians are now owners of power generating sets may eventually prove to be an understatement, but it serves to indicate the depth of the seemingly intractable crises in the power sector - a sector gradually distinguishing itself as this nation's most resilient trauma.
Making the disclosure, the Chairman of MAN, Imo and Abia branch, Dr. Frank S.U. Jacobs, added that "in the last one year, average residential expenditure in fuelling power generators (has) climbed to an all-time high of N1.56 trillion, or about $13.35 billion per annum." According to him, a "similar level of expenditure on private power generation has (also) characterised the affairs of the industrial and commercial power consumers." This is very unfortunate.
Most Nigerians are disturbed that although President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua will soon be two years in office, and has since assuming office continually restated his strong resolve to ensure that Nigerians have stable power supply, the country's energy problems have become even worse. Like the MAN Chairman observed, "Nigeria experienced the worst electricity crises among its contemporaries, which underscores the nightmarish generation, distribution and supply in the country."
Apart from the outrageous capital flight being encouraged by the mass importation of generators, the atmosphere is increasingly becoming toxic as a result of constant emission of generator fumes, a situation that has led to serial tragedies across the nation. Last year, in Isiala Ngwa, Abia State, thirteen people had reportedly lost their lives due to their continued inhalation of deadly fumes from a generator that had been kept nearby to supply electricity to a hall in which they were having a lengthy meeting. Almost at the same time, about 12 people were reportedly killed in Akwa Ibom State in similar circumstances. The power generating set supplying them electricity following the plunging of their area into darkness by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), had fed them with enough deadly fumes that snuffed out their lives. A particular incident that caused a lot of stir and sorrow across Akwa Ibom was the case of a family of seven in Ekeibong Enwang, Mbo Local Government Area, who had died because deadly smoke from their generator had found its way into their rooms. The list is endless.
Hardly any week passes now without reports of persons killed in this same chilling circumstance across the nation. There have, in fact, been cases of whole families being wiped out because they had been forced to use generators to escape the perennial darkness or killing heat. Besides, lives and property are being lost regularly across the nation in fire disasters linked to generators and the storage of fuel in homes.
How many of these tragedies will occur before the government is roused from its slumber to see that a clear and present danger is staring the nation in the face? What of those who appear to have been spared by the killer smoke, but who are quietly dying of several terminal ailments traced to generator fumes? Experts have warned, for example, that smoke from the leaded fuel we import and use in this country contributes to brain retardation in children. Now, who is concerned enough to halt the multiplier effect of this looming calamity that might explode here in the next couple of years? The majority of Nigerians live in crowed, stuffy environments, and in mostly poorly ventilated rooming apartments. According to reports, many inhabitants of these areas are being forced by the unbearable heat and pitch darkness to acquire generators in droves. And many unreported deaths are occurring in these areas daily.
What of noise pollution? How many Nigerians are already slowly losing their sanity, developing hearing problems, or suffering from nervous breakdown as a result of the deafening noise interminably supplied by countless roaring generators?
There is, undeniably, a strong link between this most unfortunate situation and failure of leadership that has remained this nation's bane. To underscore the pitiable helplessness in the face of this fatal generator-dependency syndrome and the unqualified selfishness of those in authority, the sum of two billion naira has been allocated in the 2009 federal budget for the maintenance of generators that supply uninterrupted electricity to the Presidency, National Assembly and federal ministries, departments and agencies. This is so sad. Instead of finding a credible and workable solution to the worsening energy crisis, the nation's leaders are legitimizing the generator culture and seeking to insulate themselves from the pains associated with the problem.
Nigeria remains the only country today, in Africa and elsewhere, that is yet grappling with chronic epileptic power supply. President Yar'Adua must rise to the challenge and deploy genuine and realistic efforts to save this nation from the clear and present danger of an epidemic constituted by the continued saturation of its environment by these lethal fumes. Surely, the "Servant-Leader" can no longer afford the luxury of a delay.
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we are simply living in a dungeon-jungle. there is trouble in every spot of Nigeria. please leaders and readers,please read the signs of the times,the hand writing on the wall. do it quickly because tomorrow will be gloomy for each and every person that collaborated with evil in this country. selfish leaders, please beware because we are watching and waiting for the right time to strike. better a peaceful mental and radical revolution than an imminent bloody revolution. i see the streets coloured with the blood of our leaders who have failed us.
I suppoort you brother. We cannot wait any longer. These leaders are all robbers and they are not serving but have come to rob the country and make it dry. We cannot wait any longer. This is the time brothers to start this struggle. We cannot rely on any leader or foreign leader. The battle is ours. This motherland must be saved from the jaws of these bandits. Ring the bell! Gather compatriots. We cannot wait any longer. We have to start now.
The ruthless and criminal rulers of that country(Nigeria) backed by their equally ruthless and thieving imperialists from Europe don,t care a hoot what the ordinary citizenry face as long as they line their pockets with the country,s money.The GOD of Africa will surely consume all that have conspired to make life hell and confined the unborn to a life without prospect,we say to you, your time of anguish will surely come,if unfortunately, you,re dead by then that fire will go ahead and consume those from the same tree (children). In a blessed country like Nigeria, 60 million and surely more people have been forced to using power generators, and there is supposed to be Govts mandated with building of infrastructure, power supply, included for the folks.Where has all the money meant for these various projects gone,we seek answers.The imperialist thieves posing as the guardians of good governance and equity should go hang their heads in shame if they still have one ,they support thieving made by them(corruption) to steal our money and keep the loot in their banks,on that day, you can run,but there wont be no place to hide.