…As residents slow down on use of generators
In what could be termed a blessing in disguise, some city dwellers say they are now enjoying better and deeper sleep arising from reduced noise and air pollution hitherto produced by generators.
They explain that since the steady hike in fuel pump price, there seems to be ‘tranquility’ in many neighbourhoods across the country as generators have gone on holiday.
The evenings and nights that used to roar in competing noise and croaking of badly serviced electricity generating sets have become less-chaotic.
Today, many, especially in densely populated areas, cannot afford the expensive fuel to power their generators all through the night as they used to do when fuel was cheaper.
Many are also packing their cars, especially SUVs because of the high cost of fuel, and turning to public transportation, while some transporters only ply the roads during peak hours to save on expensive fuel.
The reality above compels one to ask if the subsidy removal is paying off in silent nights?
Though painful, it seems people are adjusting fast. Nights are becoming less noisy and environment fresher with less pollution as the number of vehicles on the road has reduced.
There is also the likelihood that more people are going to pack their cars and many are unable to use their generators at night with the anticipation of further hike in fuel pump price, which presently goes from N950 to N1500 per litre, depending on the part of the country.
Sadly, this year alone, fuel pump price has been increased more than three times amid anticipation of another hike before the year ends.
Read also: Nigerians spend $10bn annually on petrol, generator maintenance -Report
The situation seems to have driven many owners of small generators commonly known as ‘I Better Pass My Neighbour’ underground, as many can hardly afford fuel to power the generators.
In Port Harcourt where electricity supply has always been erratic, many low-income neighbourhoods surprisingly enjoy quiet nights as the few residents who still run generating sets, make haste, especially to charge their phones, as those who run their generators all night are being looked with “different eyes.”
One of such people is Peace Chinwo, a resident of Elelenwo in Port Harcourt, whose neighbours keep asking where her husband works, as they run their generator every evening and late into the night.
Chinwo was forced to reduce the number of hours their generator runs for the fear of being a target for robbers.
Another reality is that the neighbourhoods seem to enjoy the tranquility at night due to less noisy and smoky generators.
Amos Ekwo, a resident of Timothy Lane in Rumuola, Port Harcourt, said that his neighbours reported him to the landlord for being the only person that still runs the generator late into the nights.
Before now, the neighbours would have responded by also putting on their noisy generators instead of reporting to the landlord.
A resident of Surulere in Lagos, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “What is happening now can aptly be described as a blessing in disguise of some sort. In the recent past, every night without electricity supply was a nightmare; a bedlam at best as generators cried from various flats from evening to daybreak.
“But today, everywhere is quiet; how many people can afford to waste N15,000 to N20,000 every night? While the increase in petrol price is biting hard on Nigerians, it has also saved many from too many health hazards occasioned by lifestyles.”
Read also: Persistent petrol price hike deepens citizens’ economic struggles
“I think people are coming to terms with the reality that things can no longer be like before again and are adjusting.
“In my compound, a lot of people used all sorts of small generators before, but more than half have abandoned them now because of the high cost of fuel,” Tolu Odunwole, a Kano-based technician, said.
Odunwole stressed that some of his friends have resorted to renewable energy sources, because it is more economical and sustainable in today’s Nigeria.
Emeka Nna, a business owner in Lagos, decried that the bad state of the economy has forced him to re-strategise survival plans for both his business and life.
“With the harsh economy, I am only thinking of survival, buying food and moving around,” he said.
“I power my generator twice a week and my family understands and is adjusting to it.
“How many litres of fuel do you want to buy with the current petrol price. So, we manage light anytime we see it.”
However, many are pointing to the improvement in electricity supply across the country by the many generatiing companies as among the reasons less noisy generators roar at nights and less people queue at fuel stations to buy in small jerrycans for their generators.
“Nigeria is not all about negatives. Electricity has really improved in my area. We are now on ‘Band A’ customer category and enjoy over 12 hours of power supply. We save on generators and noise, but we are paying more for the improved supply,” Adebisi Oyetola, a medical doctor and resident of Bucknor Estate in Isolo, Lagos, said.
In the same vein, Lukmon Adedeji, a lawyer and resident of Oregun, Lagos, is impressed with the improvement, but tasked the government on resolving the frequent grid collapse.
“I am enjoying more stable power supply now at home and in my office at Agidingbi, Ikeja. But the grid collapse should be addressed because we are paying heavily for the stable power and shouldn’t go back to buying expensive fuel or diesel to power our generators again,” the lawyer said.
Hassana Yusuf, a consultant with UNICEF in Abuja, is also impressed with more stable power supply, despite the huge cost.
“Electricity supply is better now than five years ago when I moved to Nigeria, though more expensive per unit. It should keep getting better and we are ready to pay because the prices of fuel and diesel to power generators are not going to come down,” she said.
Moreover, some health experts see gains as air pollution from smoky generators, emissions from too many vehicles on the road, and noise are curbed a great deal.
“I feel the impact of fuel subsidy removal, but on the other hand, it has resulted in the reduction of the use of generators and vehicles on our roads. That means less carbon emission, less air pollution and other negative environmental impacts associated with the combustion of fossil fuels,” Otega Medegho, an environmental activist and expert, noted.
Oyetola, a medical doctor, noted that with less noisy and polluted environment, the air is fresher for everyone, while children and older people, who are the most vulnerable, now gain the most.
Meanwhile, Medegho sees business opportunities in the situation, noting that the expensive fuel and diesel present greater incentives for individuals and businesses to adopt cleaner alternatives such as electric vehicles, biofuel, or solar powered technologies.
“The Asians, especially Chinese and Indians are here marketing several alternative sources of energy and we are just waking up to it, instead of partnering and investing in them for cheaper and cleaner energy for our people.
Our business people should wake up and challenge the frequent hike in fuel price with alternative and cheaper sources,” Medegho said.
The government is also encouraging the CNG as alternative to the expensive fuel, with many facilities in the pipeline.
But the concern of Joy Odi, a Lagos-based businesswoman, is the vulnerable people who are not in ‘Band A’ electricity tariff, who cannot afford the current petrol price to power their small generators to charge their phones and who do not need CNG because they cannot afford a car.
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