Nigerian Governors’ Forum says discussions are ongoing among the 36 states and Federal agencies in the oil and gas industry to adopt safer methods of transporting petroleum products across the country.
Chairman of the forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed this on Sunday in Government House, Port Harcourt, during his visit to Rivers State to commiserate with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the people of the state over Friday night’s tanker inferno.
The fire, which came from multiple explosions of petrol-laden tankers, claimed the lives of five persons and razed over 120 vehicles along the Eleme axis of the East-West Road.
AbdulRazaq, who is also the Governor of Kwara State, recalled a similar carnage in Ogun State, which was caused by a tanker conveying Compressed Natural Gas.
The NGF Chairman in a statement signed by Fubara’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, described Rivers’ incident as a huge loss, saying his meeting with Fubara availed them the opportunity to have discussions over the recurring decimal.
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.
“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 improving and expanding pipelines for the transportation of products as well.”