The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as Pyrates Confraternity, has called on the Lagos State Government to review the relevant environmental protection laws that will protect residents against the frequent gas explosions in the metropolis.
The association said it was concerned about the alarming rate of gas explosions in Lagos and other parts of the country that has claimed the lives of several persons and destroyed properties worth billions of naira.
Earlier on 24 September 2020, a gas tanker truck exploded in the Ifako-Ijaiye axis of Lagos, injuring at least 15 people, incinerating several vehicles and razing a number of buildings.
Just last week on 8 October, 2020, at least five persons were confirmed dead in the gas explosion that occurred at the Baruwa area of Alimosho local council of Lagos State, after a gas tanker explosion occurred when a LPG tanker was discharging at the Best Roof Plant Station in the area.
Responding to this latest explosion in Alimosho local area council which is covered together with Agege local council by Hawkins Deck of the Association, the leader of the chapter, Mr Hassan Aidorolo, said the need for the review of the extant environmental laws has become imperative to accommodate the evolving reality in population growth. In a press statement made available to NEWSDAIRYONLINE, Aidorolo stated that “Most of the unfortunate incidents of gas explosions and its attendant engulfing infernos have not been unconnected with regulatory failures and lack of compliance monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency, the government and other supporting agencies saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that human and economic activities bear no harmful impact on the environment.” He noted that the collateral damage from these incidences has become incessant that it could no longer be dismissed as a one off incidence considering the frequency of occurrence and resultant fatalities. The association frowned the current practice of location of gas plants within residential areas, without adequate safety measures to protect the residents.
The “Building of houses on gas pipelines. Vandals’ activities on pipelines. Non-adherence to safety precautionary measures by gas truck drivers and gas plant owners and staff, and other inimical activities of humans due to negligence, now demand the urgent attention of government more than ever. Government and her agencies must step up in their cardinal responsibility of protecting lives and properties through; proper orientation of truck drivers, gas plant owners, staff and customers on global best practices in Health, Safety and Environment precautionary measures.” the statement added.
As a panacea, the group called on the relevant agencies to step up enforcement of Environmental Protection Laws and Health Safety and Environment measures with the prescribed punishment for violators to serve as a deterrent to others.
They also demanded the reviews of town layout plans to excise buildings infringing on gas pipelines layouts, while calling for a swifter response to emergencies by management concerns.
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Act they noted, mandates all States of the federation to establish State Emergency Management Agencies while Local governments are to establish Local Emergency Management Committees.
However, most of the local government emergency management committees have only existed paper, they called for the urgent and adequate equipping of these local first responders in disaster management.
