Dear Rt. Hon. Speaker: I write on behalf of the above-named organisation. QL&EF is an environmental consultancy primarily focused on preventing the continued degradation of the environment worldwide.
It was brought to our attention via a publication titled “Ogun to spend N7b on power plant” written by Femi Shodunke in The Compass Newspaper dated Friday 13th November 2009 that the Ogun State government is planning to purchase the above mentioned generators from China. The manufacturer is CSI Ningbo Ltd., China (http://www.ningdong.com/en/index.php?page=3).
The generators according to information provided on the website of the manufacturers run on ‘Heavy Fuel Oil’ (HFO) (see attached [dated] web page).
HFO is the low quality ‘left over’ from the processing stages of crude oil. Some of the characteristics of HFO are: high viscosity (very thick), high levels of contaminants (e.g. Sulphur which becomes sulphur dioxide upon combustion) and requires heating at very high temperature before usage
(adding to running cost and energy wastage).
Dear Rt. Hon. Speaker, these generators do not come cheap as illustrated by the figures quoted by the Ogun State government (N7b). In addition, they would consume an average of 146million litres of HFO every year running at full capacity/load. Almost 385,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) would be emitted into the atmosphere further depleting the ozone layer and contributing immensely to the degradation of the environment. These generators would also emit a high volume of Nitric Oxide (NOx) which is harmful to humans and the environment (see below). It is estimated that as much as one (1) tonne of this toxic acid would be released into the atmosphere for every hour these machines are in operation! Another dangerous toxic agent that would be emitted into the atmosphere is Sulphur Dioxide. Half a tonne (500kg) of these damaging hazardous air pollutants would again be pumped into the already compromised Tropo/Strastospheres hourly!
Environmental/Human side-effects
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) produced by these generators are poisonous and toxic array of gases (NO2, N2O4, N2O3 and N2O5) with devastating side-effects on humans ranging from irritation of the upper respiratory tracts to asphyxiation. There is also the very high risk of eye irritation and inflammation as a result of exposure to these high toxic concentrates especially to children who spend a lot of time outdoors. These HFO fuelled generators would also emit small particulate matter. According to American air pollution officials, diesel particulates are responsible for close to 125,000 cancer cases1 in the United States of America alone!
The most alarming direct consequence of these HFO fuelled generators is the fact that diesel generators harm its own workers. The terminal risks faced by these workers include: lung cancer, bladder cancer, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches and nausea!
These are just some of the direct consequences of using these Chinese-made lethal industrial generators running on HFO and/or its other variances. In fact, as a result of China’s commitment to Human and Environmental Rights protocols amongst which is the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC) these generators have been banned from use in China’s inhabited rural areas, cities and towns. Reduction or prevention of air pollution has been directly linked with drastic reduction in multiple organ failures amongst humans worldwide.
Dear Rt. Hon. Speaker, it is necessary that this honourable House intervene on behalf of the indigenes of this State including generations yet unborn as part of your legislative and oversight functions. We are witnesses to recent high profile deaths via organ failures traced to the dreaded disease called cancer. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such unmitigated risks when there are viable, better and safer alternatives.
Alternatives
We are not suggesting that the government ditch the indigenes of Ogun State without an alternative and viable power generation strategy. Renewable Energy (RE) is our proposed strategy. RE should not be new to the current governor of Ogun State as he is an Engineer by profession. He is aware that naturally occurring resources such as solar, wind, hydro, wave and bio-mass are readily available in Ogun State. The technology behind these sources of energy are matured and have already been used to generate 240GW of electricity to homes in villages, towns and cities worldwide. The template is already there for us. It would interest you to note that most of these cities, towns and villages have very nominal natural resources when compared with Ogun State. As at December 2008, 2.4million people are employed worldwide in the RE sector. How many are employed in RE in Ogun State today? Almost zero if not zero.
We are suggesting that in Ogun-waterside area of the State for example, wind, wave and hydro sources must be exploited and harnessed while solar, bio-mass and wind powered turbines and generators should be equally exploited for power generation in the Remo, Ijebu, Egba, Yewa and Awori axis of the State.
The government of Ogun State must be prevented from embarking on this human, environmental and financially devastating venture. It is an ill-conceived project and Section 128 (1)(b)(ii) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers this Honourable House to intervene in such circumstances. More specifically, section 128 (2)(b) provides another layer of authority. The Ogun State government in embarking on this destructive expenditure has exhibited inefficiency and waste in the execution, disbursement and administration of funds appropriated by it as provided in sub-section (b) of the section aforementioned.
Finally sir, it is our submission that the Ogun State government ought to be visiting and partnering with forward looking cities such as Bumbuna in Sierra Leone (hydro); Texas in the USA (wind); California in the USA (solar); Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (Bio-fuel), Florida in the USA (Bio-mass), Gharo in Pakistan and the Western Cape in South Africa (both wind) rather than buying expensive environmental degrading generators from China.
1 State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators and the Association of Air Pollution Control Officials, Cancer Risk from Diesel Particulate: National and Metropolitan Area Estimates for the United States, March 15, 2000. Available at http:// www.4cleanair.org November 17, 2009.
For further clarifications, oral testimony and more information, please contact the undersigned via email ([email protected]) or Mr. Kola Oyekunle on +234 803 229 4975.
Thank you very much,
Yours sincerely,
Bob Olukoya (LLM, MSc, BL) Managing Partner
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Quincy Law & Environmental Firm
To: Rt. Hon. Tunji Egbetokun, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly House of Assembly Complex Abeokuta Ogun state
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