‘Buildings Under PHCN High Tension, Suicidal’

The Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Wokocha has described illegal construction of buildings under high tension electrical cable as suicidal.

Wokocha, who made this assertion when executive of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the State Secretariat Complex, Port Harcourt said some members of the public have taken it upon themselves to use short cuts in order to make money by erecting illegal houses and shops under high tension cables, saying “it is not safe”.

He also said that Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has not done enough in overhauling its poles and cables for so long, pointing out that some have outlived their span of time.

According to him, his ministry would collaborate with PHCN and the Urban Development Ministry to commence enumeration of such structures, and called on members of the public to co-operate.

The power commissioner commended the executive of PCRC for its concern on PHCN facilities as well as organising a public enlightenment campaign on the dangers of living or doing business under high tension cables scheduled to hold on July 29 at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt, assuring them of partnership.

Earlier, the state Chairman of PCRC, Hon. Austen Young  had congratulate him for his well deserved appointment, and expressed solidarity with the Rivers State Government for her swift reaction during the February 13, 2010 Trans-Amadi Slaughter incident, disclosing that members of the PCRC also reviewed  the issue in March, and expressed their views.

Hon. Young said the proposed lecture was to educate, enlighten and educate members of the society on the need to be safety conscious and seek ways of collaborating with PHCN to avert future tragedies in line with the PCRC theme of the year: “building and sustaining partnership for community safety”.

He called for deliberate steps to hold stakeholders meeting with traditional rulers, CDC  chairmen, youth leaders, among others, to address the issue by setting-up a community-based contact group and monitoring committees to report such illegal structures to the authorities for necessary action and safety of the society, and thanked the commissioner for the warm reception.

In their separate speeches, the Secretary of PCRC, Mr. Jeffrey Anugwo and the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Donald Chukwunenye  thanked him for the honour.

Collins Barasimeye