10th May, 2017
An electrical engineer, Mr Charles Fashola, on Wednesday advised Federal Government to enforce laws forbidding erection of structures close to electric installations to prevent life threatening emergencies.
Fashola, the Managing Director of the Seacof Engineering Ltd., gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He was speaking against the backdrop of a recent incident in Calabar where 30 soccer fans were electrocuted while watching a match at a viewing centre.
The engineer urged the government to act fast by ordering demolition of all structures under the electricity cables’ right of way to forestall recurrence of the incident.
He said that erection of structures under transmission lines was dangerous to human beings.
Fashola alleged that officials of distribution companies were compromising the existing laws by collecting money from owners of illegal structures under the power lines.
He warned these companies to stop their field workers from such extortion and ensure that owners of such structures vacated the places.
“It behoves on everybody to report any incidence of such structures under power lines to appropriate authorities.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the distribution companies and the safety agencies, all have roles to play in this.
“But they must collaborate with state governments who granted the construction permits so as not to work in variance to jeopardise effectiveness of the regulation,’’ he said.
Fashola recalled that there were laws that specified a 50-metre distance between the power lines and buildings.
He advised Nigerians to take note of this law while developing their buildings.
The electricity engineer also advised distribution companies to ensure that all underground cables were buried, at least three metres below the ground surface, for safety.
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Meanwhile, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has said it would soon start to clear illegal structures within its jurisdiction.
Mr Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Communications Department of EKEDC, told NAN that the company had given adequate notice to owners of structures built along the right of way of its power transmission.
Idemudia said it was wrong to build or do business on government right of way, especially under the high tension power lines.
“We have started to sensitise the people in our network areas about the danger of doing business and erecting buildings close to high tension.
“The company has employed security agencies to apprehend any offender for possible prosecution.
“We cannot afford to allow a few people to jeopardise our collective interest in moving the country and power sector forward,’’ Idemudia said.