Experts urge FG to set up task force to enforce non building of structures on power lines

Some experts in power sector on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to set up a task force for proper enforcement of the law on non-building of structures under power line, to forestall disasters from high tension cable cut.

They told our reporter in Lagos that the measure would prevent Nigerians from building shops and houses under power lines, thereby endangering their life.

It was reported that on April 20, seven Nigerian football fans died when a high-powered electricity line fell on a building where they were watching Manchester United play Anderlecht on television.

Another 11 people were injured, one of them critically, in the coastal city of Calabar.

On April 23, the Federal Government said it would soon embark on a nationwide demolition of structures under high tension cables to forestall cases of electrocution, with Cross River as a pivot state.

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this to newsmen in Calabar while on a visit to victims of Thursday’s tragedy at a football viewing Centre.

The minister was represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA), Peter Ewesor, accompanied by the Managing Director, Power Consortium Ltd., Matthew Eberbie.

The visit was to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the causes of the disaster and proffer safety measures to avoid a recurrence.

Mr Gracious Omatseye, former Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE), said the demolition of structures built under high tension cable was a welcome development.

“Many Nigerians had met untimely death as a result of building under power lines and government decision to demolish structures under the lines is a good one.

“Demolition should not be the final stage; government should also put measures in place to ensure enforcement of the activity under the power lines.

“Task force should be set up to monitor activity under the lines so that people will not, after sometimes, begin to erect structures few.

“We have seen a situation in where people are getting permit from local governments to erect structures under power line; it should not happen any longer,” he said.

Mr Sunday Oduntan, the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), said building under power line usually disturbed officials of Transmission Company of Nigeria during repair of wires.

Oduntan commended the Federal Government for the bold step and said no structure should be spared.

He said such step would reduce death associated with fallen cables from power lines.

Oduntan urged thev government to enact a law to restrict people from carrying out activities under power lines.

Alhaji Abdul-Rasak Osho, the Chairman, Iponri Housing Estate Residents Association, Suru-Lere, said such decision was in the best interest of Nigerians.

“The demolition order is in the interest of the people because nobody knows when accident will happen.

”So structures are not supposed to be erected near power installations.

“Though total eradication is difficult, more has to be done by the ministries of fiscal planning and development and that of the environment for proper enforcement of the policy,” he said.