The Lagos State government has established a committee to examine the immediate and remote causes of tanker accidents that have occurred across the state.
In the last one week, at least three tankers carrying petrol exploded and burnt down houses and shops at different locations in the State.
To end the occurrence of such fires, the State government set up the committee on Monday during a meeting between the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, petrol tanker drivers and other stakeholders in the transportation sector.
Addressing the gathering at the Conference Room of the Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Ambode said the committee, chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello, would prepare guidelines for ethical conduct for tanker drivers over the next two weeks.
“The Committee will also quickly engage the insurance industry to meet and work out appropriate policies that will protect ordinary Lagosians from havoc in future tanker incidences in the state,” Governor Ambode said in a statement by the his spokesman, Habib Aruna.
“I belief we have created the platform to bring immediate relief to those who have been affected. We are also waiting for the two final reports on the two incidences in Ipaja and Idimu in which we will take appropriate actions to bring further relief for our people
“I know that it is in the interest of every Lagosian that we extend the enforcement of traffic laws to all drivers in Lagos State. It is not only tanker drivers that offend us. We would not wait until another incident occurs before we take action. We know that all drivers must come under the enforcement of our traffic laws,” the governor said.
While reeling out some of the submissions of stakeholders as reasons for the frequent road crashes by tanker drivers, Mr Bello said the present administration had resolved to do the needful to prevent a re-occurrence.
The Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners Association, Mr Remi Ogungbemi, admitted that the operators were not doing enough because “there are lapses which are traceable to them, stating that safety should however be everybody’s business.
Also at the meeting was a representative of the Police force, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Babatunde Kokumo, who told the gathering that there was need to revisit the issue of drivers in terms of their conduct and morale.
Mr Kokumo stressed that there should be minimum standard for drivers which could be enforced through the unions, which he believes have a lot of influence on them.
