Friday 10 January 2014
Gov. Babatunde Fashola on Thursday said he was devastated by Tuesday’s petroleum tanker fire which resulted into loss of lives and property worth millions of Naira.
Speaking to newsmen after inspecting some ongoing projects in Ikorodu, the governor said he was overwhelmed by the tragedy.
He said that the incident reinforced the fact that moving fuel on the roads was not safe, saying it was time to take petroleum tankers off the roads.
He said that the incident reinforced the fact that moving fuel on the roads was not safe, saying it was time to take petroleum tankers off the roads.
Fashola therefore urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to ensure fuel was strictly moved on railways to avert such tragedies.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls an inferno from a fallen petroleum tanker in Apapa on Tuesday, which claimed no fewer than 15 lives and destroyed property worth millions of naira."It is a tragedy and I couldn't find the right words to describe it, especially as it came very early in the year."The year has started on a bad note for some families."Our heart goes out to the victims but all of us must take our share of the responsibility, first the Federal Government.
"Why in this day and age, we are still probably one of the few oil producing states left in the world still trucking tankers right through cities?
"For me, there is no rocket science about restoring the old trains, since the rail is working, let us begin to use it to move fuel out off the roads,’’ he said.
The tanker owners should be encouraged to buy rail wagons and begin to move fuel within the country’s safely," he said.
The tanker owners should be encouraged to buy rail wagons and begin to move fuel within the country’s safely," he said.
The governor also urged traders who do their businesses on the highway to desist from the practice as it was dangerous.
Gov. Fashola said that the tragedy had further exposed the fact that street trading was a clear threat to lives, adding it inconvenienced other road users.
He also said that the various ongoing projects in Ikorodu were a demonstration of government's commitment to transforming the area.
He said that work had reached an advanced stage on the 10 inner city roads in the area, and assured that the projects would be ready before the end of the year.
He said that site had been cleared to construct a housing estate of 240 units in Akanimodo to widen access to housing.
He said that site had been cleared to construct a housing estate of 240 units in Akanimodo to widen access to housing.
The governor urged residents to pay their taxes to enable government execute more development projects.
NAN reports some of the projects inspected by the governor in Ikorodu include ongoing expansion of Ikorodu Road, rehabilitation work on Awolowo Road, and work on the Igbogbo housing estate
NAN reports some of the projects inspected by the governor in Ikorodu include ongoing expansion of Ikorodu Road, rehabilitation work on Awolowo Road, and work on the Igbogbo housing estate
