The Nation Newspaper

Tag: generator

  • Six family members die after inhaling generator fumes

    Six family members die after inhaling generator fumes

    The people of Isi Obehie in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have been thrown into mourning following the death of six members of a family resident in the community.

    The incident happened at Ofoji Street in Obehie on Wednesday.

    The only surviving member of the family is the father. Hewas away when the incident happened.

    The deceased persons include the mother and her three children, sister to the woman and her brother-in-law.

    While five persons died on the spot, the younger sister to the mother of three, who was found unconscious at the time neighbours became aware of the incident, was said to have died in the hospital on Thursday.

    Read Also: 20m judgment debt: Court okays winding up advert of oil firm

    A source in the community that visited the scene who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that it was a pathetic and gory sight to behold.

    The source said the victims were from Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, but resided in the community.

    “They left their generator behind their building and went to sleep, leaving their windows open.

    “We suspect that the window, which was open, gave room for the generator fumes to come into their house, resulting in the unfortunate incident.

    “The brother-in-law to the woman who should be about 30 died with the sister-in-law and three of his brother’s children died as well.

    “The brother’s wife’s sister died this morning at the hospital where she was taken for medical treatment.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka confirmed the deaths and that investigation had begun.

  • Generator fumes kill three in Delta

    Generator fumes kill three in Delta

    Residents of Osubi community in Okpe council area of Delta State were thrown into mourning on Wednesday, following report of the death of three teenage boys who left a generator on in their single room apartment overnight.

    The deceased teenagers identified simply as Isaac, Alex and Ese, were believed to have died from inhaling fumes of the generator after sleeping off.

    Read Also; Don’t leave host community in ruins, Tinubu warns lithium investors

    The mother of one of the deceased boys is said to manage a restaurant in the area.

    A resident who spoke on the incident said the boys put the generator inside the room over fear of thieves stealing it, adding that the room had no windows.

    The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, was yet to respond to a message seeking his comments on the incident at press time yesterday.

  • Waking up from our slumber

    After two days of staying in a hotel in Accra, Ghana, last Wednesday and Thursday, I suddenly realised that I had not experienced any moment of black out or heard the sound of a generator. This was strange to me considering what I am used to in Nigeria.

    In the best of hotels I had stayed in my country, some of which are better than the one I was in Ghana, you can’t miss the sight or the humming of giant generators. Even if you don’t see or hear the sound of generator, you will surly notice the changeovers when public electricity goes off.

    Some hotels are permanently on generators during the day to avoid the embarrassment of light-out which could give them a bad image.

    Does my experience at the Ghana hotel mean that light does not go off in Ghana? No. It does; and in fact, the hotels have generators. What is apparent is that the frequency is not in anyway compared to what we have in Nigeria where ownership of generators by individuals and organisations is a prerequisite for having power supply as regularly as you want.

    When I told one of my hosts of the claim in Nigeria that Ghanaians enjoy 24-hour power supply, he laughed and noted that Nigerians rate their country too high than it is. According to him, they also have their own infrastructural challenges which they are demanding that the government should address.

    If Ghana, whose size and economy is not comparable to our country, has some things that give the world, including Nigerians, the impression that it is a better governed country than ours, we must demand better conditions of living than we currently have.

    The new Kotoka International Airport terminal is another example of why we cannot but insist that governments at all levels in the country live up to expectations. Compared with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the Kotoka is way ahead in terms of the elegance, facilities and services available to travellers.

    The Ghana airport reminded me of the Singapore airport I passed through late last year. On my return on Friday, the environment of the airport was as untidy as usual. The waiting section for arriving passengers outside the airport, not only have some pool of rainwater, but it was littered with cigarette stubs. Where I sat on arrival in Ghana while waiting for my host was as welcoming as it should be.

    While I join in congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election, I wish to urge him to really do his best to take our country to the next level as promised during the campaigns.

    Those of us who complain about what we don’t like about our country are not enemies of the government, what we are asking for are basic things that can be achieved if the government comes up with the right policies and ensures their implementation.

    It is a shame that we have to compare our country with countries that do not have the resources and manpower we have. How do we explain that Nigerians are being deported from Ghana? Why are we usually the butt of jokes by other African countries as being big for nothing?

    We can’t afford to remain the sleeping giant which we have always been. It’s time to wake up from our slumber and take our rightful place not only on the continent, but globally.

  • Five Chinese firm’s guards in police net over generator, vibrating machine

    Operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested five security guards of Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation (CCECC)  at the company’s site at Itori, Ogun State, for alleged stealing.

    They are suspected  of stealing two 150 KVA Marapco power generating sets and a vibrating machine, among others.

    The suspects are: Mohammed Usman; Onomza Sani; Taminu Justice; Ayinde Okesade; Seun Okesade and Olaniyan David.

    It was learnt that the suspects were rounded up by IRT operatives shortly after they bolted with the items.

    It was said that they were apprehended at the residence of the receiver, of the stolen items Olaniya David, in Ota Ogun State.

    In his confession, the suspected receiverof the stolen items,David, said: “ I bought several bags of cement from Mohammed, the head of the security guard and I used them in building my own house. I paid him N1500 per bag against the market price of N2500.  I also bought some iron rods from him, which I also used in building my house.

    ‘’But I ran into trouble when I brought one of my friends to buy his (Mohammed) company’s power generating set. I didn’t know that his company would get the police involved.  I was arrested and I led the police to arrest the security guards and we recovered the power generating sets”.

    On how the security guards were arrested, police sources revealed that the five security guards were all hiding in David’s house at the time he was arrested.

    They were said to have spent six days in David’s house waiting for the man that bought the generating set and the vibrating machine to bring their money, when detectives apprehended all of them.

    Mohammed, the leader of the guards who masterminded the theft blamed the buyer  of the stolen generating set for their arrest.

    He said: “We had no intention to steal the two power generating, vibrating machine and cables, but David’s  brother lured us into it.  What we invited him to buy from the site were scrap irons that littered  the site, but when he came with his trucks he saw the generators, a vibrating machine and  some cables and he insisted on buying  all.

    ‘’He then offered to pay us N1.4million for the goods and the money felt so tempting.  I called all my colleagues and explained the situation and they accepted. We then allowed him to carry all that he wanted and when he finished, we followed him out of the site. We alighted at David’s place to wait  for our money and he refused to show up for six good days.

    ‘’While we were waiting to collect our money,  I believe, our employers got news that we had all abandoned the site and their property were missing and that was why the management of the company  brought in the police.

    “See, if not for David’s brother who delayed our money I would have been long gone before the company would  realize that its property were missing. “

    In his confession, Mohammed said:  ” I came to Lagos in February 2018 and I worked for the company as an iron bender. That was when I got the knowledge of selling the company’s cement. I wasn’t the only person stealing and selling the company’s cement and David was one of my customers. We became very close because he pays me regularly and does not owe like other customers.  I was using proceed from the cement to sustain myself.

    ‘’I was being paid N30, 000 monthly as salary,  but after working for few months, the company started downsizing and I was sacked as an iron bender. In August, I begged to be reinstated  and I was offered a job as a security guard. When I accepted the offer, I was made the head of the security on the site and I was earning, N28, 000 with four other men working with me.  Sometime in September, things became very bad; I contacted David and told him that I had some scraps on the site to sell; I asked him to look for a buyer. He brought a greedy man who he called his brother and the man got me into trouble.”

  • Choosing the right fuel for your generator

    Choosing the right fuel for your generator

    We are talking about generators here because successive governments in Nigeria has found beyond their ability to provide Nigerians with the much needed power. We all know that energy enhances the growth of economies and improves the quality of lives. Most households and businesses in Nigeria depend on generators as there is no guarantee of getting energy from the government. No wonder Nigeria has been rated as the country with the highest importation of generators.

    CHOOSING THE RIGHT GENERATOR FOR YOUR OFFICE OR HOME

    When making your decision on the type and size of generator you want to buy for your home or any structure, you have to know your electricity need. Generating sets can provide from as little as 1500watts of electricity and up to a staggering 15000watts. It’s now left for you to choose the one that will meet your electricity needs.

    Apart from your energy need, another important thing you need to consider is the type of fuel you want to use in running your generator.

    In this century and age, there are various option to choose from when it comes to fuel for powering engines. We have gasoline, popularly known as petrol in Nigeria, diesel, propane or LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), popularly known as cooking gas, and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). All these fuel types have their pros and cons, however some advantages outweigh the others.

    GASOLINE OR PETROL

    This is the most common type of fuel especially in Nigeria, in fact over 80% of generators in Nigeria are run on petrol.

    Advantages of petrol generators

    It is easily accessible especially in Nigeria except during fuel scarcity

    1. Relatively portable: It is easy to carry around because the petrol tank is firmly attached to the generator.
    2. Another advantage of the gasoline generators is that the fuelling is comparatively simple, all you need to do is to turn the gasoline into the fuel tank and there you go, you are up and running.

    Disadvantages

    1. It is risky: in the event of trying to top up the fuel of the generator without switching it off, or before it cools off after use, a little drop of gasoline on the hot part of the generator can cause an explosion, in fact some people have fallen victim of this accident and the result is always deadly.
    2. Expensive: the price of gasoline especially in Nigeria is always fluctuating and it’s mostly expensive compared to LPG and CNG.
    3. Carbon monoxide pollution: As a result of the combustion of gasoline, carbon monoxide is generated which is one of the major pollutant of air. Apart from polluting the air, it also kills the spark plugs, settles on the piston, blocks the air vent, makes the engine oil go black and eventually go bad thereby increasing the maintenance cost of the generator and reducing its life span.
    4. Storage: Gasoline cannot be stored indefinitely; the longest storage duration of gasoline is 365 days. Apart from this, it evaporates easily, hence it depreciates in value when stored for a long period of time. So with gasoline, there is a limit to what you can save for the rainy days.
    5. Highly flammable: Gasoline is highly flammable, this makes it also very dangerous to store because at any slight mistake it can be ignited.

    DIESEL

    Diesel is the best price option for generators that produce 150 kW or more of power. Diesel generators are also the least expensive to operate, least flammable, and are the best for long-term usage. Also, diesel, like gasoline, is an easy fuel to obtain. Diesel is a relatively heavier fuel. Diesel engines are usually very strong and the fuel burns slower than any other fuel. However, it has its own disadvantages too.

    Advantages of diesel.

    1. Diesel burns slower than any other fuel, though it might be expensive to buy, it burns slower thereby making it relatively cheap to use.
    2. Diesel engines are mostly stronger than any type of engines.
    3. Diesel is always readily available.

    Disadvantages

    1. It generates more carbon monoxide than other engines. This means that it is not environment friendly. In fact some countries are thinking of banning the use of petrol engines because of environmental pollution.
    2. Wet stacking: Most of the diesel generators face a problem called “wet stacking”. When the generator is running on a load of about 30% to 40%, the fuel is not burnt completely and it lines up the turbocharger and other areas.
    3. Noise: Diesel generators make more noise than most other generators.

    PROPANE

    Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) also known as propane or cooking gas is a good option for powering your generator especially those who depend heavily on generators to power their homes and businesses.

    Advantages of propane

    1. Superior supply of power: The common limits for gasoline generators are around 8500 watts of power. The propane generator, on the other hand, can often deliver more than 15000 watts, meaning that they can actually run the entire home, central air conditioning and all.
    2. Convenience: A propane generator can be on for as long as possible depending on the source of propane supply. In developed countries where they use propane pipes, these pipes can be attached to the generator to give it a consistent supply of fuel. On the other hand in countries like Nigeria where propane is dispensed into bottles, you can attach your generator to the biggest bottle of gas, hence giving your generator a consistent supply of fuel translating to consistent supply of power to your home or office.
    3. Environmentally friendly: Propane is a cleaner form of fuel because it burns without leaving residues. That is carbon, which contaminates the engine oil, stains the spark plug, and the piston.
    4. Safer: It eliminates the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. It also eliminates the danger of fire disaster which can arise while trying to refuel the generator while it is still running.
    5. Cost effective: In most countries, the cost of propane is lesser than that of gasoline and diesel. Aside saving on the cost of fuel, it also saves on the cost of maintenance because propane generators require lesser maintenance than other types of generators.

    Disadvantages

    1. Propane generators are expensive to purchase
    2. In countries where gasoline is cheaper than propane, the cost of running a propane generator might higher.
    3. Risk of gas leakage: If propane supply is not properly fixed, there is a high risk of leakages which might lead to fire outbreak and wastage of propane.

    CONVERSION OF GASOLINE GENERATORS TO PROPANE OR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS USING THE TRI FUEL CARBURETOR

    Considering the advantages and the disadvantages of the various types of generators above, the best option is to have a generator that can use more than one type of fuel. This means one will have an option to choose which form of fuel to use in running the generator without having to make any changes to the generator.

    How does it work?

    Most people think that the gasoline generator runs on liquid gasoline, but this is not true. The gasoline generator actually runs on liquefied gas. What happens is that the gasoline in the fuel tank when released is passed into the carburetor where it is vaporised before it can now be passed on to the section of the carburetor where the actual combustion takes place.

    Because this vaporisation is not perfect; during the process of combustion, there is a residue left out which is the carbon monoxide that the generator produces when working.

  • Engineer gets N1.2m bail for ‘attempting to steal generator’

    An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State has admitted a 30-year-old engineer, Eze Chimaobi, to bail at N1.2million for allegedly attempting to steal a 10KVA generator worth N1.75million from Kingsley Eze.

    The Magistrate, Mr. T.O. Shomade, who gave the ruling, ordered the accused to produce two sureties, as part of the bail conditions.

    Shomade said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government.

    The accused, who is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The prosecutor, Raji Akeem, told the court that the accused, who lives in Ilupeju, Lagos, committed the offence on July 9 at Adebowale Street, Ojudu, Ikeja.

    Akeem alleged that Chimaobi and others at large conspired to steal a 10KVA generator worth N1.75million from the complainant’s compound.

    The prosecutor claimed that the accused and his accomplices parked a truck in front of the complainant’s house and waited for the gateman to leave his duty post, so that they could enter the compound.

    He said immediately they noticed there was no one around the gate, the accused jumped into the compound with one of his accomplices and tried to steal the generator.

    Akeem said the accused was caught by the gateman, who saw Chimaobi and his accomplice struggling to carry the generator out through the gate.

    The prosecutor said when the gateman cried out that there were thieves in the compound, Eze called the police, who arrested the accused and took him to the station.

    He said Chimaobi’s accomplices escaped in their truck.

    The offence contravened sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Section 287 prescribes three years imprisonment for stealing.

    The case was adjourned till August 7 for mention.

  • NDDC donates 500kva generator to Ibom Specialist Hospital

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated a 500 KVA generator to the Ibom Specialist Hospital in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    The Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, made the donation on Saturday when he led a delegation from the Commission to the hospital.

    Ekere said the NDDC would partner the Akwa Ibom State Government to ensure the objective upon which the Ibom Specialist Hospital was conceptualised and built was achieved.

    According to Ekere, the equipment and facilities in the hospital cannot function optimally and efficiently without constant power, a deficiency he noted necessitated the NDDC’s intervention towards solving the electricity challenge of the hospital.

    His words: “NDDC will also partner the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Limited to ensure that the hospital is connected to the national grid.”

    He said the hospital which was built by the Akpabio administration to curb medical tourism in the country has world class facilities that can provide services that meet international best standard.

    Ekere explained that one of Niger Delta’s health challenges is the effect of hydrocarbon emission which causes cancer hence the determination of the NDDC to partner the hospital to have a Cancer Centre that is functional, effective and efficient.

    He commended the staff for exhibiting a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties to patients.

    Ekere stated that the Commission remains committed towards partnering the Akwa Ibom State government in ensuring that intervention projects that add value to the lives of the people are done.

    He said: “Whoever takes credit for projects is not the issue. The people who are beneficiaries of the project should take credit.”

    Ekere said the NDDC Governing Board would soon pay a courtesy call to the Akwa Ibom government to work out modalities for a partnership that benefits the people.

    He said: “Our job is to partner with various state governments to have enduring structures in the region.”

    Responding, a director in the hospital, Dr. Kofo Ogunyanrin, thanked the NDDC for intervening to solve the electricity challenge, stating that the generator donated would assist the hospital to function optimally.

  • Generator fumes kills three in Edo

    Generator fumes kills three in Edo

    Three persons have died of generator fumes at Agharese Adu street off Sapele road in Ikpoba-Okha local government area in Edo State.

    The deceased were found dead by two other occupants of the flat at about 3am on Sunday morning.

    It was gathered that two ladies were visitors of the boy who was found naked in his room.

    One of the deceased female was found dead lying in the lobby, while the other was lying down on the bed with her shoes on.

    It was gathered that it was the brothers of the deceased male that returned home from a party that raised alarm when he found the corpse.

    As at press time, the bodies of the deceased have been taken to the morgue by policemen from Etete Police Division.

    The generator from which the fume emerged was found in the kitchen of the house.

    Spokesman for the Edo State Police Command, DSP Moses Nkombe, confirmed the incident and said investigation would unravel what cause of the death.

    He said it was a case of sudden and natural death.

    “Until doctors report comes out, it is like they died of generator fume. One of the occupants of the room died. The flat is occupied by three boys. The two senior ones went to a party and when they returned, they saw that the door was locked. They had to raise alarm.”

  • Lions Club donates borehole, generator to school

    As part of activities to mark Lions Clubs International 100 year’s celebration, its District 404 B2 donated 1,200 liter water tanks, 5KVA generating set and First Aid Box with drugs to St Saviours’ Anglican Primary School I and II in Ijoko, Ogun State. The club’s region 7 and Ijoko district also planted trees in the school.

    The 404-B2 District Governor, Taiwo Adewunmi, while commissioning the project urged political leaders, individuals and captains of industries to emulate the spirit of giving back to the society.

    He said it would go a long way in eliminating poverty in the country.

    Speaking on the project, tagged: ‘Legacy Projects’ Adewunmi said, the gesture was to reduce the stress the pupils undergo to get potable water.

    “The pupils cross the road in search for pure water and this is dangerous for them in terms of safety,” he said.

    He said the  project  was also to fulfill the Club’s obligation to make the country a better place for the less privileged by feeding the hungry, empowering women and youths, providing health /vision screenings  and an enabling environment for a better and happier society.

    He appealed to the club members to continue to embark on legacy project and make a great impact on humanitarian services.

    The Schools’ Head teacher, Mrs Alamutu Oyebimpe, thanked all the members of the Club for the gesture, noting that water is an essential commodity for them.

    She said the borehole would prevent the pupils from crossing the express road in search for drinking water.

  • Safety tips for converting from gasoline to propane generator

    Safety tips for converting from gasoline to propane generator

    Make sure the Gas cylinder and Generator are outside the home. This is very important because the generator needs ventilation and the gas needs to be in an open space to dilute and weaken the gas in case of gas leakages.

    • Do not always remove your hose when refilling the gas cylinder as this will help to reduce or eradicate gas leakages through the hose.
    • Make sure the conversion kit is well installed. This is very important, though the installation of the conversion kit is simple but can be very dangerous if not properly installed.
    • Consider installing propane gas detectors. In some circumstances, you may not smell a propane leak. Propane gas detectors are designed to sound an alarm if it senses the presence of propane. Their operation does not depend on the concentration of odorant in the air, just the propane concentration at the detector. Propane gas detector can provide you an additional measure of security that is why the quality of the detector is also equally important. To be sure propane detectors operate properly, install and maintain them as the manufacturer recommends.

    *Do not run out of gas. Serious safety hazards, including fire or explosion can result. If an appliance valve or gas line is left open when the propane supply runs out, a leak could occur when the system is recharged with propane.