FasasiThe bill has been read for the first time at the Senate.
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, introduced a bill to ban the use of generators in the country.
The bill which was sponsored by Senator Bima Muhammadu Emagi (APC Niger South), passed its first reading on the floor of the red chamber.
If eventually signed into law, the bill dubbed ‘Generating Set (Prohibition/Ban) Bill’, will prohibit the usage of generating sets in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Going by the bill, which according to Senator Emagi, is to curb the menace of environmental pollution, anyone 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 10 years.
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The ban will however not include generating sets used for essential services which include -Medical purposes, Airports, Railway stations/services, Elevators, Escalators, Research Institutions, and other facilities that require 24 hours electric power supply.
Approval for exclusion shall only be obtained from the Minister in charge of Power, who shall brief the Federal Executive Council (FEC) quarterly on approvals granted.
More so, all persons are directed to stop the use of generators which run on diesel, petroI, and kerosene of all capacities with immediate effect in the country, the bill reads.
Unarguably, the power situation in Nigeria is erratic.
Inadequate power supply has been a major challenge for millions of Nigerians for decades.
Fasasi
