LASG Partners NUPENG To Stop Tanker Accidents

Apparently disturbed by the continued increase in the number of petroleum tanker explosions and accidents in Lagos state and its environs, the Lagos State government is set to partner with the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in other to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Sources hinted last week that the Lagos State government has expressed serious concern about the recurring accidents and has called on the union leadership as well as other stakeholders in order to have a stakeholder’s roundtable meeting on how to put a stop to the menace.
Based on feeler which Shipping Position Weekly has been getting from concerned quarters, the stakeholders meeting might also eventually lead to the enactment of a strict rule which will be enforced on all tankers drivers operating within the state. According to sources, it will restrict tankers from moving during the day, and also lead to a total overhaul of rickety tankers from the Nigerian system.
The chairman of the Lagos Zonal Council of NUPENG, Alhaji Nojeem Korodo speaking to Shipping Position Weekly last week confirmed receipt of the invitation saying that it is a good initiative and that NUPENG has agreed to have the stakeholders’ forum. “I love the initiative of the Lagos state government on bringing all stakeholders to come together on how to review the frequent accident of tankers in and around Lagos, we love it and we will jointly have a press conference to that effect”, he confirmed.
Korodo however argued that tanker accidents are not caused as a result of old and rickety tankers, he said that the union has vehicle inspection officers at all the loading points, adding that “their primary objectives and responsibility is to ensure that no truck enters the loading gantry without being properly inspected and confirmed road worthy”.
“We don’t allow anybody to bring in trucks without it being properly inspected, and all of them must have valid government registration documents, vis-a-vis the driving license, the tires, the brake system and we even make sure that the outlook of the truck is attractive, most of the rickety trucks in our system have been eased out, we also embark on standardization of the trucks because we are trying to meet the challenges of international standard”, he argued.
The NUPENG top brass explained that the cause of most of the accidents and explosions is as a result of drivers’ fatigue and also due to the bad roads in the country. He particularly stressed the situation of an upturned tanker at Anthony bus stop in Lagos last week; the tanker was carrying 33,000 liters of fuel and could have led to yet another explosion and disaster for the nation.
According to him “The truck in question was inspected and sanctified for loading, but what I can attribute to the accidents is that it may be due to stress on the part of the driver, there is no adequate relaxation for tanker drivers embarking on long- distance journeys. In advanced countries, if you are driving a big truck, by the time you move for a certain kilometer you will see a recreation centre to relax and cool your brain, these are drivers that have been on the queue for more than two days without sound sleep and even managed to load a product trying to get out of Lagos” he said.
Korodo confirmed that the date of the meeting is still unconfirmed because most of the leadership of the union is currently away for a function but he however assured that it is likely to take place this week. He also said that one of the issues that will make the front burners at the forum is how to create relaxation centers for tanker drivers at strategic spots in the country. 
“What I believe is that the government should create an enabling environment for investors, let them be encouraged so that they can invest in the project, we can not boast of any motorable road in Lagos, our people travel long distances to Makurdi, Abuja, Jos and so on, but there is no good road or recreation centers where they can relax and cool their brain before they continue the journey”
Continuing, Korodo lamented that: “if we should create one on our own along the road and be stopping there, you can trust either LASTMA, FRSC or even armed robbers to come and attack them, tanker robbery is at an alarming rate now, they are frequently robbed now by robbers, they highjack the trucks at gun point and before we get the truck back it will be empty” he said.