By Ezra Musa
The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) said it had removed structures built under high tension lines without approval to ensure safety of lives and properties.
Mal. Isma’il Dikko, Director General of the Authority, made this known on Tursday at a meeting with the Committee of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Kaduna.
He said the meeting was to discuss issues of encroaching on right of way for transmission lines.
Represented by Bello Musa, the Director for building permits, reiterated the readiness of KASUPDA to collaborate with organisations towards achieving goals of planning for development.
Dikko said structures built under or close to high tension lines were removed for lack of approval from the authority.
He mentioned the two communities affected as Rigachikun and Barkallahu in Igabi Local Government Area.
He further noted that, the authority would not relent on its mandate of ensuring daily monitoring of developments in the state.
In their remarks, some of the management staff emphasised on the need for TCN to errect signposts that would indicate their properties, to avoid encroachment.
Aminu Haruna, Regional Manager of TCN, said they visited to discuss with relevant agencies and other stakeholders on the problem of encroaching transmission lines.
Represented by Abubakar Abdulazeez, member of the committee noted that it was constituted to go round all the states to discuss and find the way forward.
He stressed the need for collaborative effort with KASUPDA, all professionals and other stakeholders to ensure safety of lives and property in the country.
Mr. Cephas Kangeh, General Manager, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) of the company, said encroaching right of way for transmission lines was a source of concern nation wide.
Kangeh said that a lot of lives and property were being lost due to the encroachment on transmission lines in different states across the nation.
He recalled one of the incidents which occurred in Calabar, Cross River, where more than 60 people lost their lives on the spot while watching a football game.
Kangeh commended Kaduna State Government for the passionate commitment of Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i for the implementation of urban planning in the state.(NAN)
