Bima Enagi, senator representing Niger south, has introduced a bill seeking to outlaw power generating sets, better known as “generators”, in the country.
The bill, which passed first reading at a plenary session on Wednesday, proposes to ban the importation and use of all kinds of generators.
A lot of Nigerians depend on generators for electricity generation in their homes and businesses owing to irregular power supply.
The country currently generates approximately 4,000mw of electricity but distributes about 3,000mw for a population of about 200 million.
A portion of the bill states that anybody who imports into or sells generators in Nigeria risks at least 10 years of imprisonment.
It states 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”.
It added that 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”.
The bill, however, exempts generating sets used for “essential services”.
It defined essential services to include medical purposes (hospitals and nursing homes and healthcare facilities), airports and railway stations/ services.
Also listed as essential services are elevators, escalators, research institutions and such facilities that require 24 hours electric power supply.
It added that the approval for exclusion shall be obtained from the minister of power.
Nigerians are reacting angrily on Twitter to the development. See some tweets;
The Senator that sponsored the Bill to ban generators in Nigeria & send those that sell or use them to jail must be insane. He ought to be tied up, placed in a straight jacket, put in a strong sack filled with weights &dropped in the deepest & darkest part of the Atlantic ocean.
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) March 11, 2020
They want to ban generators??? Loool. This people will just wake up one morning and just look for ways to continue to make life difficult for Nigerians shaaa. This is just very sad.
— Ada~beke????????✨ (@blvck_Witch) March 11, 2020
Imagine Senators that opted for imported Toyota Prado Jeep 2020, are legislating to ban importation of generators. This people are not just dullards, they’re demons.
Tomorrow, someone will say those criticizing govt are tainting Nigeria’s image. Which image? Wetin remain? ????????
— FS Yusuf, MIIM (Nonpartisan Democrat) (@FS_Yusuf_) March 11, 2020
Niger State has 3 Senators in @NGRSenate:
1 is #AntiSocialMedia
Another is #AntiHateSpeech
A 3rd is #AntiGenerator
None can find time to be #AntiBandits now ravaging the state.
Even more, we still don’t know what any of them is for….https://t.co/t6lVM2d7vw
— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) March 11, 2020
This is Senator Bima Enagi, representing Niger South Senatorial district. He proposes a bill to jail you for using generator in a country where govt has failed to generate electricity for you. In other words, he wants you to go to jail for some of his failures. pic.twitter.com/xIeZ2Vf778
— M. M. Obono (@martobono) March 12, 2020
Generator Ban: This 9th Senate headed by @DrAhmadLawan will definitely be the worse in the history of Nigerian senate. Are you banning the sales of generator when there’s no 24/7 electricity? The Senator that sponsored that bill to ban generator is mad that bill will not stand. pic.twitter.com/aV6VdWuwlG
— Uche Ezeonye Offical (@uche_ezeonye) March 12, 2020
How can our senators assume placing a ban on import of generators is a Priority. A country that can’t guarantee 24 hours electricity. Please, how will hospitals, banks, universities, industries and many more that rely on Generators to generate power function properly.
— Chi-Na-Edum ???? (@Pepindshot) March 11, 2020
So Senate introduces bill to ban generator in Nigeria????. I think this people want to kill us but don’t just know how to go about it. They’re afraid of UN if not they’d have start bombing us. How d hell can u ban Gen when there’s no steady power & we aren’t close to getting it?
— MOHNICE ???????? (@Official_mohnyc) March 11, 2020
I once said this 9th assembly will be dramatic. A senate that want to pass social media bill, a senate that want to ban protest, a senate that want to send terrorists to study abroad and senate that want to ban the use of power generator without stable power supply in the country
— Olayinka Akingbade (@olayeancah64) March 12, 2020
Our lawmakers go to the Senate to waste time and end up pocketing millions at the end of the month. Cos if not, why would any sane person think of a bill to ban generator sales in a country like Nigeria.
Why not a bill that mandates the Ministry of power to fix electricity.
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) March 11, 2020
A Bill seeking to ban generators is another frivolous bill that will never be passed.
The sponsor of this bill is a moron, a daft and a waste of tax payers money. It’s a shame Ahmed Lawan and his co-senators from the north have turned the Senate into a caricature
— Emeka Nnadozie (@ChNnadozie) March 11, 2020
Some of our lawmakers are doing very hard drugs, you can’t be doing just hard drugs and propose a bill to ban generator in a country like Nigeria where we have one of the most terrible power supply in the world.
— Olúyẹmí Fásípè ???????? (@YemieFash) March 11, 2020
1. Social Media Bill
2. Hate Speech Bill
3. Boko Haram Rehabilitation Bill
4. Protest Ban Bill
5. Generator Ban Bill (New)ALL FROM NORTH!
Dear Northerners, talk to your sad senators.
— AyeMojubar ???? (@ayemojubar) March 11, 2020
_____
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2020 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant source.
