In a move aimed at curbing vandalism and encroachment on transmission line Right-of-Way (RoW), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Kaduna Region, has engaged traditional leaders in that regard.
TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, who disclosed the development in a statement on Tuesday, said the series of strategic engagements were also intended to sensitise them on ways to protect the nation’s power assets.
According to her, the General Manager (Transmission), Kaduna Region, Engr. Nasir Mansur Fada, led the delegation on sensitization visits to key locations, including the palaces of prominent traditional leaders in the Mando and Rigasa communities.
She said the visits were aimed at strengthening collaboration with host communities and addressing the growing safety risks associated with illegal developments beneath high-tension transmission lines.
Mrs Mbah said at the sensitization meetings, first with the Sarkin Mando, Alhaji Sani Musa, and subsequently with the District Head of Rigasa Community, Arch. Aminu Mohammed Idris, Engr. Fada, among others, Engr. Fada raised serious concerns about the increasing rate of encroachment on transmission corridors.
He emphasized that the construction of houses, shops, and other structures directly beneath high-tension lines exposes residents to significant health and safety hazards, including the risk of electrocution.
He cautioned that individuals who deliberately encroach on designated Right-of-Way (RoW) areas do so at their own risk, stressing that TCN would not be liable for compensation in cases of electrical accidents, which may be fatal in the event of a line cut.
Engr. Fada, according to her, further underscored the broader implications of vandalism and Right-of-Way (RoW) violations, noting that such actions not only endanger lives but also undermine the stability and reliability of bulk electricity supply across the region and the nation at large.
