Epileptic Power Supply and the Nigerian Society (1)

Our experiences in the past on electricity supply in Nigeria revealed that it was far better than what is in place now. The days of constant power supply is gone, and enjoying uninterrupted power supply is now a nightmare. With billions of Naira spent by successive administration on several power projects across the nation, there appears to be no improvement. Kainji dam, our popular hydroelectric power (HEP) plant could no longer meet the increasing demand for power due to our ever increasing population and many efforts geared towards industrial development by companies and individuals have been sabotaged by this ugly situation. Companies now abandon their facilities or sell them off, relocate to other countries (greener pastures) to do business where electricity supply is stable.

Multinational companies have been very supportive over the years, sponsoring the construction of turbines and signing various agreements in order to improve the status quo. State governments also have implemented a lot of independent power projects (IPP), constructing gas turbines among other efforts, not to mention the huge investment in this sector by the federal government, but all to no avail.

The demand for electricity is on the increase and most companies and homes now run their equipment, plants and appliances using generators. The situation has gone from bad to worse and it’s such a very ugly experience. Everyone now cry out loud “our government has failed us”. We’ve had a lot of drama in recent past in the power sector, projects were commissioned upon completion, most of which wouldn’t just work for more than a month. Several other power projects were abandoned for no just cause. No one would query contractors, no one to monitor the implementation of such projects. A huge sum of money had been invested but there is no improvement at all.

What actually is our problem? Is it corruption again? I think its corruption. How do we account for these investments without any result? Even when the government declared a state of emergency on the power sector, there seem to be no improvement. Hydroelectric, thermal, coal and gas facilities abound all over, several thousands of transformers purchased, but there is still no improvement. Are we not generating enough megawatts to meet our power demand? Do we have problems with supply and distribution? Could it be that our transformers are sub-standard? For how long shall we continue to pay power bills with the poor service delivery in the power sector? What is the way forward?

Nigerians are now getting used to this ugly situation. “I big pass my neighbour” - a popular slang which refers to ones ability to power his/her flat without relying on PHCN, using generator, even when neighbours are in the dark, is now the order of the day. We now legally buy fuel in containers to be kept for the use of our generators, without any safety consideration. The risk of storing fuel in residential apartments is high. A lot of people have suffered major and minor generator related injuries, many have lost their lives and several others had to live with some deformities and scars all their life. Should web continue to live this way? I once heard about a family where everyone died as a result of the fume from their generator exhaust over the night. It was allegedly redirected into the house, suffocating all of them to death. A younger bother of a colleague suffered severe burnt some months ago while he was fueling the generator. Numerous instances of kerosene explosion resulting from the usage of the same container for both petrol and kerosene have been recorded over the years.

What about the unconscious effects of pollutants, especially oxides of carbon on our health? Worse case scenarios of a very noisy culture now exist here, with the 24-hour generator usage in most places. One would naturally share the sentiment that business must continue at daytime, but the recurring tropical heat experienced most nights is forcing most families to live on generator throughout the night, thus making it increasingly difficult to find a quiet time to study and think. This present noise level is unhealthy and unsafe for our well being. Our people no longer hear well/clearly because they live in a noisy system and the painful aspect is that most of the people affected are unconscious of this fact. Their hearing deteriorates due ton prolonged, intense noise. Imagine a scenario where one would need to increase the volume of a DVD/TV set to the maximum in order to enjoy a music/programme, all in a bid to cover up for the noise from the generator. Noise upon noise!

Medical records would reveal the effect of the present trend on our health in few years if there is no improvement. We must be conscious of the rapid increase in atmospheric carbon levels in our environment, which is due to the profligate usage of fossil fuels. Air pollutants are directed at the nose, throat and lungs and causes significant health problems. When the airways are exposed to hazardous pollutants, the body and all its tissue is ultimately affected and may result to cardiovascular and lung diseases, increasing the risk of heart attacks and heart related death. High noise level is similarly a serious health hazard. Apart from the fact that repeated exposure may damage human hearing loss – the louder the noise, the faster it causes hearing loss; each noise pollution incident destroys additional cells of the inner ear. Sleep deprivation, chronic fatigue, aggressive behaviour, declining school performance, annoyance responses, adverse social behaviour and reduction in hearing some frequencies of sound are some of the human health problems associated with noise pollution.

There is need to call a spade ‘a spade’ and not just an agricultural implement. In my opinion, the present epileptic supply situation, noise and air pollution levels are not sustainable. Our environment needs you as much as you need the environment. We must be conscious of the fact that our experience in the power sector is a reflection of the quality of our input. Let us join hands and build the power sector in our nation. Let us rise up to our responsibilities as an individual and as a people. We can eradicate corruption form our society. I believe it’s possible.