Traders Near High-Tension Lines Must Leave, Says FirstPower

FirstPower Electricity Distribution Ltd. has warned traders in Anambra State to leave areas under high-tension power lines. They must do this immediately to avoid danger.

Tosin Fadairo, the Head of Health, Safety and Environment at FirstPower, shared this warning during a campaign at Aroma and Eke Awka in Awka.

The company said it would cut off electricity to any buildings that do not follow power line rules. Mr Fadairo stated that trading under these lines is dangerous and can lead to electrocution and other serious accidents.

He mentioned that many traders and shop owners have ignored repeated warnings. This has led to the need for tougher actions against those who violate the rules.

“We have seen a lot of people building close to our right-of-way,” Mr Fadairo explained. “The safe distance is 5.5 metres from high-tension lines, but many businesses operate too close.”

“This situation is unsafe and has caused many electrical accidents lately,” he added. FirstPower is working hard to ensure that everyone follows the safety rules to protect lives and the power supply.

Mr Fadairo also said that these encroachments lead to damage of equipment. This damages power supply and costs the company a lot of money to fix.

“When people complain about bad power supply, they often do not realize that some of the problems come from encroachments that harm our equipment, costing hundreds of millions of naira to repair,” he said.

He urged all residents and business owners to follow safety rules to prevent accidents. The authorities have been informed about the many encroachments seen on several power feeders in the state.

“Some buildings follow the right-of-way rules, but shops built in front are often right under the power lines,” he explained. “This is our third awareness campaign in this area. We can cut off power to any buildings that break these rules.”

“If we do not see changes after this campaign, we will come back to disconnect power to those buildings, especially where businesses are operating under the power lines,” he added.

Mr Fadairo recalled a recent case where a spark from an overhead line shocked traders below. He pointed out that even after this incident, some traders returned to the same spot.

“We are not trying to stop anyone from making a living. We care more about safety. Business can only succeed when people are safe and alive,” he concluded.