The House of Representatives wants a law to ban the erection of buildings under high-tension electrical wires.
A motion seeking a law for the ban was sponsored by Rep Kolawole Taiwo Musibau on Wednesday.
The motion noted “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, as it raised awareness that “there are existing laws that forbid the erection of buildings under electric high tension wires which specify a 50 meters’ distance between power lines and buildings”.
The sponsor told the House that there are “laid down safety standards for electric installations in the country and the efforts of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency towards reducing electricity accidents all over the country”
He however raised concerns, “that people build and transact businesses under 33KVA power transmission lines and therefore susceptible to be electrocuted as many Nigerians had met their untimely deaths as a result of either doing business or building under high tension electric cables which are not maintained and have not been changed over the years since they were installed”
In adopting the Motion, the House urged” the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency and other relevant agencies to, as a matter of urgency, demolish all 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 not just when an accident occurs”.
It also mandated “the Committee on Power to ensure implementation”.
Source – Vanguard
