The Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote, has disclosed that the government is currently developing strategies that will address the menace of petroleum tanker explosions and accidents on Lagos roads.
Odusote spoke in Lagos during a stakeholders’ forum held with participants from the Oil and Gas transportation sector, themed: “Sanitising Lagos State Roads of Petroleum Tanker Explosions and Accidents”.
Stating that the Ministry has set up a working committee to develop a legal framework, the Commissioner said the exercise is being undertaken in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice and will take cognisance of existing Physical Planning, Environmental and Safety Laws in Lagos State to address the issue.
He said the working committee, which comprises of representatives of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria Liquified Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA), Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NLPGAM) and other relevant stakeholders in the LPG sector, was formed to develop an integrated checklist for safety audit on LPG installations in order to entrench safe and ethical practices in the LPG sector.
“The committee will also develop operational audit checks for LPG plants/facilities and ensure there is a certification process for storage tanks and trucks in the State. The regulations and standards have been put in place to guide the operations and haulage of petroleum products in Lagos”, Odusote said.
He explained that the forum was convened to come up with additional channels, policies, regulation improvement and laws for safe transportation of petroleum products in Lagos, noting that DPR is currently collaborating with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to check haulage permits of tankers conveying petroleum products.
He assured that the State Government will come up with regulations and laws to enhance operations in the transportation sector as well as increase safety and safe operations.
Lamenting the significant increase in tanker explosions in recent times, Odusote emphasised that recommendations of the forum will be considered to end tanker accidents on Lagos roads.
The Chairman, Lagos State House Committee on Mineral and Energy Resources, Mr. Jimi Mohammed, in his goodwill message, commended the Ministry for putting the forum together.
In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Miss. Sholabomi Shasore, envisaged that the meeting will also find a solution to the incessant tanker explosions on Lagos roads in order to eliminate the ugly occurrence.
She stated that the forum was convened to examine issues relating to tanker drivers, their licenses, training and discipline.
The National Executive Director Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation, Mr. Paul Ndibe, stressed the need for the State Government to find an alternative to road transportation of petroleum products.
He advised that the government should ensure laying petroleum pipes across locations, legislate for firms of certain categories to source their power via gas turbines, standardise the carrying capacity of the petroleum product barrels and establish engine compression test centres.
