Ban On “I Pass My Neighbour” Generators: A War Against Air Pollution Or The Working Class?

Editor’s note: Last week, the federal government banned importation of commonly-used and relatively cheap brand of generators called “I pass my neighbour” by Nigerians. The ban has perplexed Nigerians who are still trying to figure out whether reducing air pollution, named as the main reason for the decision, was the real aim.

Opara Prince, the Naij.com contributor, says the small generators were having a negative impact on the environment, but the ban on small generators is having adverse impacts on the lives of millions of Nigerians. Is there a more environmentally and Nigerian-friendly solution?

Comptroller general of customs, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd), has recently placed an embargo on the importation of small generators popularly called “I pass my neighbour” (IPMN) on the account of air pollution and health risks this class of generating set poses to the populace.

From a perspective entrenched in coherency and fairness, I am neither in support nor against this, as I refuse to be an enemy of the administration that has shown progressiveness. I also abjure subscribing to a pro-elite and anti-lower-class camarilla.

Buhari don ban the importation of I pass my neighbour generator, my heart bleeds, how i wan do am?,i cant afford mikano now, not married yet

— Firstlady (@Aweleokolo) November 18, 2015

While a government that indicates an interest in the wellbeing of the citizenry through promoting a healthier and safer environment deserves commendation, to forestall a feeling of bias and enactment of reforms that might seem to favour a ruling class at the expense of the lesser, it is pertinent to thread with caution and employ a mix of tactical and holistic approaches in policy implementation, taking into consideration the various  social classes and the relativity of the impact of these policies vis-à-vis the parties involved.

The previous ban I can’t help but term as selective as it targets a significant amount of some unfortunate/distinguished groups. One group is 110 million poor Nigerians, this same class constitutes the majority of voters who turnout during an electioneering and for a fact are responsible for putting the current government into power. Another group affected are the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)’s whose generating sets are purportedly the sole culprits responsible for carbon emission in Nigeria.

The emergence of this trade prohibition comes barely a week after the inauguration of the minister of power, housing and works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, an individual whom I highly reverence for his work ethics and a man who has gained notoriety for his pro-elite mode of governance which has proved to be result-oriented. It becomes tough to not harbour a suspicious perception of the minister being the most probable instigator of the previous prohibition considering his past track records.

From an angle this ban may have actually lent some credence to the conspiracy theory of some generator-importing cabals being behind the unprecedented failure of the power sector despite the trillions of naira expended since 1999 to improve the workability of the sector.

No employment, no fuel, no light and you still went ahead and ban the importation of “I pass my neighbour generator” FG kuku kill us…

— Kass (@Kassanopha) November 18, 2015

I mean, if truly the ban is aimed at tackling air pollution, what about the banks, factories, school,  hospitals etc. that make use of the massive generating sets that emit as much carbon, even way more, than the “I pass my neighbour”? Why does the embargo fail to cut across these other establishments who own more stakes in polluting the air?

How do you fight air pollution by placing a ban on mass importation and go ahead to approve importation of a unit and expect the Biafran agitators to not see this as a yardstick to further protest separation seeing this recent trade move by the FG as anti-Igbo businessmen?

In a generator economy like Nigeria, with 60 million generator users with SME’s dependent on the IPMN, which is known to conserve fuel thereby reducing cost of running businesses, how do you encourage intending small-scale entrepreneurs and sustain the already existing businesses when you frown at their only source of reliable uninterrupted power?

How do you ban these generators and not ban cigarettes which pose more harm and further pollute the atmosphere? Why does the ban spare cars, trucks, motorcycles and tricycles which contribute more than 40% of the carbon compounds in the atmosphere?

There is a saying, “what is worth doing is worth doing well”. If a war against air pollution must be triggered, the choice strategies employed need to be thorough and well-calculated, not haphazard or seen as an avenue to play politics with the livelihood of the vulnerable masses.

That’s how well Buhari’s govt can affect the poor. Ban the level of generator the poor can afford and don’t provide them electricity!

— John Sampson (@JohnStarrone) November 18, 2015

Looking for alternatives

I strongly advocate for the phasing out of generators as the fumes emitted from these technologies accounts for some 10,000 deaths in 2008-2014. African Clean Energy Summit reports earlier this year also account for 95,000 deaths annually in Nigeria. While the figures indicate the matter in view requires an urgency of attention, I nevertheless dissent and express my discontent with the ill-timed and lopsided ban, as such choice of action is tantamount to a misplacement of precedence which could be related to a cart-before-the-horse situation.

You don’t deny a junkie narcotics without a model for rehabilitation to prevent a relapse. Citing an instance from the past administration: while a ban on vehicle importation was contemplated, there had to be a degree of certainty and readiness of the indigenous automobile production plants and industries and also a supply level to curb a possible ban-induced hiatus.

It is thus unprecedented for a government that fails to provide 105 million with decent electricity, and leave the remaining 65 million without access to electricity at all, to rob them of the only electricity source available.

It gets worse when as a government you fail in making available affordable petrol and vigorously deny the citizenry of an economical means to conserve the little their meagre disposable income affords them.

Thereby, compounding an already intricate issue, it is noteworthy that diesel-generated fumes are much more hazardous than fuel-generated fumes as the latter is comprised of twice the sulphuric content of the former.

There are a total of 17 million registered SME’s business components in Nigeria which ideally, in a sane society, drive economic growth, with the micro-businesses that make use of the bigger generators which are mostly diesel-powered constituting 99.87% i.e. 17,261,753. The small and medium-scale enterprises, which constitute the major users of the infamous IPMN, account for 0.13% i.e. 22918 of 17 million, a negligible fraction but unfortunately susceptible to bullying associated to lopsided government policies. This makes you want to question why the ban has targeted this infinitesimal few and spared the glaring majority.

Enough to make one question the authenticity of air pollution actually being the motive behind the ban or an ulterior intent.

Recommendations

I strongly agree that the causative factor which has led to generators becoming a necessity in the country needs to be dealt with abruptly and alternatives made available to the masses first before banning them.

The FG should create awareness and foster the use of emission reduction technology, set emission standards in accordance with the internationally accepted laws and strive to decrease the sulphuric content of our fuel/diesel to the lowest to enhance compatibility with engines that meet the stipulated emission standard.

Laws should be propounded and enforced to make emission tests obligatory for users (individual and businesses) of bigger or industrial generators, cars and carbon emitting technologies. The users should be ready to display on request the certificate indicating compliance to government-approved standards. Where a citizen is found defaulting appropriate disciplinary actions of perhaps a seizure of the hazardous technology, lockdown of the office/residence or corresponding sanctions meted out on the culprit.

The ban of IPMNs will only ascend already existing demands. Local fabrication will be provoked, further tipping of corrupt customs officers, smuggling will be encouraged, as well as mass importation of the IPMN in fragments meant to be assembled in the country, and so on.

In the light of these imminent impediments, the only sure resolution is as basic as improving the power sector which, in turn, will expedite the extinction of generators, making them outlive their usefulness and fall into oblivion.

Author, Opara Prince

Opara Prince was born in the south-south region of Nigeria but brought up in the southwest. He has a key interest in Nigeria’s socio-political scene. Follow him on Twitter @PrinceOprah.

This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com or its editors.

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