The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), is to embark on a demolition exercise around its Right-of-Way (RoW) locations along the Tema-Achimota-Mallam High Voltage Transmission Lines.

The exercise, scheduled for this month, will rid the affected areas of illegal occupants and encroachers, whose activities prevent access to the transmission towers.

In a statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Company said the specific areas included Dzorwulu, Ashiaman Middle East, and areas in East Legon - American House; Adzei Kodzo and Menpeasem.

It said the demolition exercise, when completed, would enable GRIDCo engineers and contractors unimpeded access to the transmission towers for construction works to be carried out to ensure adequate and quality power transmission to the Greater Accra region and adjoining areas.

The statement said it was an offence under the Transmission Line Protection Regulations, 1967 (LI 542) as amended by Regulation No. LI 1737 of 2004, for persons or institutions, to conduct any form of activity concerning the lands around the location of power transmission lines and towers in Ghana.

It said such operations included drilling, excavation works, lorry parks, shops, garages, bars, real estate.

It said such enterprises should not be undertaken in the areas extending for a distance of 15 meters on each side from the centre of the transmission towers for 161kV lines and 20 meters for 330kV lines, were prohibited.

The statement said such activities posed a danger to human life and property as transmission line faults can result in casualties and damage to properties.

It said over the past years, GRIDCo had issues with encroachers along its transmission towers and lands across the country, especially in Greater Accra, adding, "these persons carry out all forms of activities at the risk of their lives."

The statement stated that GRIDCo would continue to work with the relevant state institutions to remove properties and structures and to curb all forms of human activities, within the Right-of-Ways, to safeguard public safety and ensure reliability of power transmission.