Official statistics claiming that 51 people died in electricity accidents in the first five months of this year capture the enormity of the risk that Nigerians are exposed to in the course of their normal daily living. But then, it will be difficult to expect anything better in a society where safety measures to prevent such accidents are all but lacking. It is a society where people are left to their own devices, and one does not need to search too far to confirm this.
In April, many people were electrocuted when a high tension electricity cable fell on the roof of a makeshift viewing centre in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, where ardent football fans had congregated to watch a Europa League match between a Belgian club, Anderlecht, and Manchester United of England. Initial media accounts put the number of deaths at between 20 and 30 people; but the number was later reviewed and officially put at seven.
But whatever the number, there is no doubt that these were deaths that could have been averted, with just a little care. In a society where premium is placed on human lives, the structure where the football fans had gathered to be entertained should not have been allowed to stand, due to its proximity to a high voltage power line. In organised societies, it is the duty of the government to save citizens’ lives, even when they decide to commit suicide.
But such is not the case in Nigeria. A walk on a street in a typical Nigerian town or city presents a picture of an untidy mesh of cables in the air. Surely they are not all the handiwork of the inept and tactless power distribution companies, but the DisCos also share the blame in much of that disorder because they do little or nothing to tidy up things. People just help themselves to electricity connections without having to wait for the appropriate authorities. It is purely a situation of an accident waiting to happen.
For this reason, whenever it rains, especially when it is windy, people are in danger of being electrocuted by a live wire that might fall off the pole. This was the case in 2015 when a 300-level accounting student of the University of Lagos, Oluchi Anaekwe, was electrocuted on her way to the hall of residence. The hapless lady had unknowingly stepped on a live wire that fell off an electric pole, sparking an orgy of protests by her fellow students.
Reports also have it that a 14-year-old girl, Deborah Faleke, suffered a similar fate when she stepped on a live wire at the Alakuko area of Lagos on May 27, 2017, just as a seven-year-old boy was electrocuted in similar circumstances at Omo-Iyamu Street in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, five days earlier. Last year, a newlywed teenager, simply referred to as Faisa, was lost to electricity accident at Agidingbi area of Ikeja, while Joshua Moses, described as a gatekeeper, 27, met his untimely death at Valley Estate in Ojodu, Lagos, owing to electrocution.
In some cases, wires fall into flood water and once a person steps into that water, such a person is electrocuted. Those who might not know what happened and try to assist could also end up suffering the same fate. Even in cases where the authorities are alerted to the danger, it takes them ages to respond. The response could even turn out to be punitive, rather than remedial. Instead of effecting prompt repairs, for instance, the response could take the form of denying the people electricity so that no casualties would be recorded.
A typical example is the case of a high-tension wire that reportedly fell into a canal at Soluyi, within the Gbagada area of Lagos. Despite claims that the case was brought to the attention of appropriate authorities, the distress call was ignored for two weeks. While explaining the situation to a reporter, Solomon Olamiju, the Baale of Soluyi, lamented the possible danger that loomed if “the high-tension is energised,” meaning that, for the two weeks, electricity supply to the area had probably been cut off.
These tragic incidents are quite widespread and should attract the attention of both the government and electricity companies. In its report to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency said 43 of the 51 people that died were individuals who suffered third party fatalities, while the others were employees of the DisCos. This means that there are not enough safety measures in place even for the staff of the companies.
However, things have to change. Both the government and the DisCos have to act fast and save lives. The new trend is to bury the cables underground to prevent death or injury from electrocution. In Germany, the cabinet gave clearance for underground cabling in 2015, aiming to avoid citizens’ protests against overground power lines. Although this option has its own disadvantage of being too expensive and difficult to repair in case of any damage, it is however better for safety reasons.
Despite the shortcomings in a study in the United States, where underground power line makes up just 18 per cent of transmission lines, according to the country’s Energy Information Agency, new residential areas are adopting the underground approach. If the cost is however unbearable for the Nigerian electricity firms, for the time being, they can start focusing on changing the old and weather-beaten cables that have become vulnerable due to exposure to the vagaries of the elements.
Besides, when such accidents occur due to negligence on the part of the firms, then they should be made to bear the liability. Perhaps that might make them to be more responsive and responsible.
