Over 400 buildings to be demolished by JMDB in Jos

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The JMDB, Jos Metropolitan Development Board, says it will begin demolition of 400 illegal structures built under high tension electricity lines in the state. The JMDB is situated in the main yard, Ahmadu Bello way, Plateau, Jos. The General Manager, Matthias Hata, said the houses had already been marked for the exercise which would commence within one week and that all the marked houses were illegally built under the one hundred and thirty-two KVA, kilovolt-ampere, lines which link from Jos to Pankshin.

Furthermore, Hata explained that the Federal Government acquired the site for the construction of the high tension lines in the early 80s but that somewhere along the line the work stopped.Hence, some of the illegal structures were removed in 2007 before the project was later abandoned due to the conflict between farmers and the contractors.It is of major importance to the re-commence removal of the illegal structures from under the power lines because of the directive of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to continue the project.

To continue with, Hata said the board had constituted a thirteen-member Committee to ensure its continuity.All structures within fifteen meters of the lines will be demolished because it is expected the developers to leave fifteen meters on both sides of the high tension wires.According to JMDB Government has paid the landowners compensation but most of them still build under the high tension wire because they think the project has been abandoned.The general manager said that notice had been served to affected landowners and that anytime soon, demolition would commence immediately.

It must be remembered that landowners should stop erecting further structures under high tension wires to avoid loss of lives, properties and demolition.

Source: PM news Nigeria