Discussions are advancing among the 36 state governors and strategic federal agencies in the oil and gas industry over the adoption of safer methods of transportation of petroleum products across the country, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) disclosed on Sunday.
The forum’s Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, gave the hint on Sunday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, when he visited to commiserate with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the people and government of Rivers State over the Friday night’s tanker inferno which claimed the lives of five persons and razed over 120 vehicles on the Indorama-Aleto bridge axis of the East-West Road in Eleme Local Government Area of the State.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.
AbdulRazaq, who is the Governor of Kwara State, recalled a similar carnage in Ogun State, which was caused by a tanker conveying Compressed Natural Gas that impacted lives.
He described what happened in Rivers State as a huge loss, and said his meeting with Fubara availed them the opportunity to have peer review discussions over the incident.
He said, “I came over to commiserate with the government and people of Rivers State over the tanker fire incident and the subsequent huge loss of lives. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
“We have peer review discussions over it. And similar incident happened in Ogun State as well, which you are aware of, and that’s a CNG tanker, Rivers State was a petrol tanker. ”
AbdulRazaq also said, “We also spoke with the Head of the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, and there will be a review of some laws.
“There will also be engagement between the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency and state agencies in terms of ensuring health and safety on these issues.
“As you know, Nigeria relies a lot, virtually, on pipelines for the movement of petroleum products, and we need to strengthen regulations in that sector, and also emphasize on improving and expanding pipelines for the transportation of products as well.”
