It was a beautiful spectacle to behold on 16th July, when some members of the Ghana Fire Service, Ghana Police, the Information Van from the Information Services Department and a few of GRIDCo’s Trooper vehicles moved in a convoy to the Wednesday Market and the Magazine (a vehicle workshop enclave), Sunyani, to commence engagements with occupants [of both locations], who had encroached on GRIDCo’s RoW – under the 161kV Sunyani-Techiman transmission Lines.
The team had earlier in that week, received the blessings of Bono Regional authorities and Security Service Commanders in Sunyani, for the relocation of the Sunyani Wednesday Market and the vehicle workshop otherwise, this would have been a “Mission Impossible”.
The engagements started with a simulation by the Ghana Fire Service to serve as first-hand experience to the encroachers that, their occupation in those locations poses danger to lives and property, and the situation could be dire in the event of a fire outbreak, especially because the location of the Market in particular, obstructs access to the Fire Service’s route to the fire hydrant.
Thankfully, the fire simulation exercise achieved its purpose. A member of the team overheard one of the occupants of the Market saying, “So, is this how difficult it would be to access this route in the event of a fire outbreak? Let’s hurry and vacate this Market before any calamity befalls us…” A Police Officer among the delegation also narrated similar feedback from some occupants after engaging them. A cross section of the GRIDCo team also engaged with some of the occupants to explain the morale of the exercise.
Upon returning to the central location, i.e., the premises of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Head of the exercise, Major Appiah (Rtd.) expressed gratitude to the entire team; Regional & Service Heads, the ISD & GRIDCo staff involved.
This exercise was in collaboration with the Corporate Communications Section. In consultation with Regional and Service Heads, a demolition exercise of the encroachments will follow shortly afterwards.
It is noteworthy that, under the Transmission Line Protection Regulations, 1967 (LI 542) as amended by Regulation No. LI 1737 of 2004, it is an offence for persons or institutions to conduct any form of activity in relation to the lands around the location of power transmission lines and towers in Ghana. Operations including, drilling, excavation works, lorry parks, shops, garages, bars, and real estate undertaken in areas extending for fifteen (15) meters on each side from the center of the transmission towers for 161kV lines and twenty (20) meters for 330kV lines, are prohibited. These activities pose danger to human life and property as transmission line faults can result in casualties and damage to property.
GRIDCo will continue to work with the relevant state institutions to curb the vandalisation of its installations, as well as remove property and structures to curb all forms of illegal human activities, within the Right-of-Ways, to safeguard public safety and ensure reliability of power transmission.
