The Lagos State Government has warned owners of properties built under high-tension power lines in any part of the state to remove them immediately.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, who gave the warning urged property owners to relocate to safer locations stressing that no building is worth the life of any resident of the state.
Oki noted that building shops, offices and residential houses under the high-tension cables was dangerous to lives and properties and should be reported to the agency by concerned residents to avert any likely danger.
He issued the warning during a meeting with the Bale of Ladigboye Community and representatives of Arewa Communities in Ikorodu who were on a visit to his office to seek approval to trade on a portion of land granted by the Bale of Ladigboye Community in Ikorodu area of Lagos, which falls under high tension power line.
Oki urged residents to be wary of the electromagnetic radiations that comes with the unlawful practice which not only pose a threat to the lives of the occupants and that of others, but also contravene the provisions of the State’s Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law.
The general manager averred that buildings erected under high-tension electricity cables were a source of serious concern to the state government, maintaining that Lagos will not fold its hands and allow the dangerous practice to continue to pose risk to residents of the state.
“The State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law does not only prohibit building under over-head electricity wires, but also specified the distance that should be observed between a property and a public utility such as the high tension electricity cables.
“Safety and protection of lives are the most important issues here and we must not let urbanization or material gains take the better part of us and allow the illegality to continue. Please ensure your buildings are not under high tension wires and desist from doing businesses in unauthorized places like Power lines or drainage alignments . I will advise you to seek better alternative to do your business,” a statement quoted Oki as saying.