Electrocution: NEMSA Asks Ibadan Residents to Vacate Transmission Areas
The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), which enforces technical standards in the country’s electricity industry, has directed residents of Ibadan who built structures under tension wires to relocate them for their own good.
NEMSA said that the practice of building human inhabited structures under high tension transmission areas portends great risk to people living there.
According to the Managing Director of NEMSA and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Mr. Peter Ewesor, the vacation order have been served on people who have built structures within the Tomavide, Ifesowapo/ Academy, Ring Road, Podo/ Odo-Ona Kekere, and Apete areas of Ibadan.
Also, ordered to vacate their current operational bases are people, who have turned the interchange around the Toll Gate end of Lagos/Ibadan expressway as trailer parks and restaurants, which are under passing high tension cables.
Ewesor explained that the practice of building structures under high tension cables was done in sheer ignorance and flagrant disregard for the town planning rules and regulations of the country or states.
According to him, people who made structures and undertake businesses under 33/ kVA and 11/kVA transmission lines have continued to put their lives and that of others under risk.
He said that the Ibadan electricity distribution company (Disco) has also been directed by NEMSA to act urgently in this regard to avert the inherent danger associated with high voltage power installations.
“We cannot see everything at a go, so with the recommendations and observations of this exercise, we are directing them (Ibadan Disco) to use them as a guide on all other areas because the networks are similar, the incidents are also similar, and we are saying that anything that is a life- threatening situation should be corrected without further delay,” said Ewesor while undertaking an inspection of the network recently.
He urged the disco to avoid instances of compromise on safety standards laid down for the installation of power equipment, and asked the zonal inspectorate of NEMSA in charge of Oyo and Osun States to apply the necessary sanctions in cases of disregard for standards by electrical contractors.
Similarly, Ewesor ordered the closure of a pole manufacturing outfit, Standard Concrete and Poles Limited which is located in the Apete area of Ibadan, for allegedly operating without license.
He said: “You can see there is no trade mark. Nothing to show that it met the requirements. There is nothing to test the water, and alkalinity of the soil, the quantity of the cement.
“That is why poles suddenly collapse on their own. He is just doing a guess work and that is why we are asking him not produce anymore or sell the ones he has produced.”
“These are things we want to eliminate in the power sector,” Ewesor added while refusing to accept the excuses made by the owner of the outfit, Raphael Odugbenro.
Odugbenro had said: “I know there are tests to be done. I cannot just come into the industry without certification but it is capital intensive. Wait for me till June please.”