By Adedayo Akinwale
The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and other relevant agencies to begin the demolition of buildings and structures under high tension electric cables all over the country.
The House also urged the Ministry of Power to ensure the maintenance of high tension cables as they are time bound and to carry out repairs and maintenance.
The resolutions of the House followed the adoption of a motion titled “The Need to Enforce the Law Forbidding Erection of Buildings and Structures Under High Tension Electric Cables,” which was moved by Hon. Musibau Kolawole, at the plenary yesterday.
Kolawole decried the indiscriminate and unlawful erection of buildings under high tension electric cables all over the country, as well as commercial activities taking place on the right of way of the high tension electric cables.
He noted that there are existing laws that forbid erection of buildings under electric high tension wires which specify a 50 meters’ distance between power lines and buildings.
The federal lawmaker added that there are laid down safety standards for electric installations in the country and tasked the NEMSA to reduce electricity accidents all over the country.
Kolawole expressed worry that people build and transact businesses under 33KVA power transmission lines, which made them susceptible to electrocution like many Nigerians who met their untimely deaths as a result of either doing business or building under high tension electric cables.
The House resolution said: “The NEMSA and other relevant agencies shall, as a matter of urgency, demolish all buildings and structures under high tension electric cables all over the country.”
