Lagos Government Worried Over Incessant Tanker Accidents, Seeks Operators’ Cooperation

The Lagos State Government has commenced efforts to address the spate of incessant tanker accidents, reckless driving and parking on the highways occurring in the state, which often claim many lives.

Recall that in the early hours of yesterday, Thursday, at about 8:30 am, a tanker, a car and a fully loaded commercial bus were involved in an accident on Otedola Bridge, in Lagos, leading to the death of a female, with two other people severely injured, as confirmed by the Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

At the stakeholders’ engagement meeting with key representatives of the Downstream Energy Sector to deepen safety awareness of operators Mr. Olalere Odusote, the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, said the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration was keen to see that the downstream sector continues to flourish in the state but operators must stay within the framework of safety provided by the regulators and the laws of the state.
 
The commissioner disclosed, at the meeting, some of the plans being put in place to address the recurrence of incidents in the state.

Odusote said the state had commenced the process of creating fully-equipped truck transit parks and terminals to eliminate the indiscriminate parking of trucks in the state.

He said a technology-based integrated terminal management system, where tickets are issued prior to proceeding to the loading bays, would also be introduced in addition to the enforcement of the yearly certifications for tanker drivers and trucks that ply Lagos roads.

The commissioner added that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources would work closely with all stakeholders to implement an optimal framework to curb the menace of tankers, just as it partners, the Department of Petroleum Resources DPR, to monitor loading of petroleum products at the various loading bays in the state.

On his part, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde who was present at the meeting, said that relevant infrastructure to facilitate vehicle testing would be made available at mutually agreed designated points to support the downstream sector.

The workshop was put together to address the recurrence of road incidents involving petroleum tankers and to seek effective and lasting solutions that align with the interests of all stakeholders.

The National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers PTD Association, Otunba Sailimon Oladiti, who also spoke at the meeting, remarked that the Lagos State Government is always leading positive change, but to ensure sustainable solutions, “similar actions must also be taken nationwide”.

At the end, all participants, including representatives of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers NUPENG, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria MOMAN, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association DAPPMA, National Association of Road Transport Owners NARTO and the Federal Road Safety Commission FRSC made promise to abide by the regulations set by Lagos State.