Accra, April 22, GNA - The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDco) on Wednesday began an evacuation exercise at Dzorwulu in Accra to get rid of second-hand cars dealers and other structures sited under the electricity transmission lines which passed through that area. It is being done as a safeguard measure to prevent disasters when there is a drop of any of the transmission lines as well as allow for unimpeded access to the facility for maintenance activities. This evacuation exercise also became necessary in view of the fact that most of the dealers who were affected by the construction of the Mallam-Tetteh Quarshie Road started parking their cars under the lines. A tour of some of the areas that the lines passed showed that apart from the cars and other structures, some people also packed tankers fully loaded with fuel under the lines which could explode should any of the lines drop.

Members from the Ghana Police Service were on duty towing the cars away and demolishing structures as owners defied warnings and notifications to vacate the area.

Mr Albert Quainoo, Head of Public Relations at GRIDco said the lines which were from the Volta sub-station at Tema, carried 161,000 volts of electricity and that it was dangerous to live under them. Mr Quainoo said lightening during rainfall sometimes caused the lines to drop causing havoc to all the things that were under them. He called on owners of any property under the lines to remove them or have them demolished or towed as in cars, which could only be given back to them after payment of fines. The exercise, which is being supervised by the police, will be replicated in all the major cities across the country to ensure that the practice was stopped.