The Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services (NEMSA), Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, has advance reason for the failure of the agency to maintain sanity along high tension power lines and under transmission towers, attributing it to lack of political will.
He further alluded that lack of political will on the part of the government to demolish the structures as being responsible for slowing pace of constructing some power line projects in some parts of the country.
Engr. Tukur Tahir spoke during an interactive session with Journalists at the weekend in Abuja.
OPTIMUM TIMES reports that ongoing business activities along power lines and under transmission towers have led to obstruction of seamless electricity transmission and distribution as well as deaths in the country.
Also, the House of Representatives had mandated its Committee on Power to investigate the capacity of the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to adequately carry out its mandate on electricity safety in the distribution network as well as the overall effectiveness of the Nigerian electricity supply industry, given the vast investment in the power sector.
It also resolved to investigate the incidences of deaths and accidents caused by the negligence of electrical safety in the distribution network in the country as well as safety measures, including the existence and role of safety departments of Discos
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the need to ensure safety in the electricity distribution network raised by Hon. Sani Bala during its plenary.
According to Hon. Bala, the negligence of electricity safety is increasingly claiming lives and causing injuries to both electricity sector workers and others.
He said; “The death rates arising from the electricity safety negligence in Nigeria are gradually equating the recurring newspaper headlines of death rates from insurgency, banditry and communal clashes.”
He further revealed that there are
numerous tragedies caused by disregard for municipal laws in the siting of residences and recreational centres around electric installations under high tension wires, near electric poles or transformers, thereby exposing residents to danger.
“Apart from dangling high tension cables and vast evidence of unprotected transformers and electricity infrastructure in communities, there are also allegations of expiration of the life span of the infrastructure being major causes of surges and eventual explosions”, he stated.
Also, House of Representatives had called on the the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and other relevant agencies to begin the immediate demolition of 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 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’ moved by Hon. Musibau Kolawole at plenary.
Moving the motion, Hon. 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.
Meanwhile Engr. Tahir said NEMSA will inspect and certify the 10 mobile transformers from Siemens before its use in the country.
He revealed further that the agency has so far this year inspected 15,931 electricity projects in the country out of which 10,692 have been certified fit for use.
Human Interest1 week ago
News1 week ago