The Senate has begun a holistic probe into the gas explosion that rocked the Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State on Sunday.
Consequently, the Senate, yesterday, mandated its Committees on Petroleum Resources Upstream, Downstream and Gas Resources to carry out investigation and report back at plenary in two weeks.
According to the Upper Chamber, the committees must get to the remote and immediate cause of the explosion where no fewer than 17 persons have been confirmed dead and 25 others injured, just as more than 50 buildings in the area were impacted by the explosion, as hundreds of residents were rendered homeless.
Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion by Senator Olamilekan Adeola, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos West who through Order 43 and 52 of the Senate Standing Orders as Amended to the unfortunate incident in Lagos.
The Upper Chamber has also called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency; implement all the previous recommendations that have been made by the Senate.
While it observed a minute silence in honour of those who died during the explosion, the Senate also directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster to immediately send relief materials to the victims as well as settle the medical bills of affected persons.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has advised Lagosians, and indeed, Nigerians not to trade blame over the cause of the Abule Ado explosion in Lagos.
The speaker, who visited the scene of the explosion, last Monday, commiserated with affected families, saying the government will do everything in her power to cushion the effect of the explosion.
Gbajabiamila, who came in company of Hon Egoh Ajokpa–Oghene, representing the Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, and two other honourable members, said the explosion was caused by contributory negligence.
According to him, “This is not a visit that I was hoping or intending to make under these circumstances. We heard about the unfortunate incident on Sunday, and President Muhammadu Buhari sends his commiseration to the people of Lagos State.
“Personally and on behalf of the House of Representatives, my heart goes out to the people of Abule Ado, the people of Lagos and the people of Nigeria as a whole, because I know in this community we have people from various parts of Nigeria.
“You have the full compliments of the National Assembly and the Federal Government. I am aware the Group Managing Director (GMD), of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), was here on Sunday because I spoke with him. The fact is that some people did not do the right thing by insulating the pipeline and at the same time, are we supposed to build on places where we are not supposed to build? So, there is a lot, it is called contributory negligence.
“Lives have been lost, one life lost is one too many, not to talk about 20 lives. It is 20 lives too many, amongst whom I believe there are children as well. May their souls rest in peace! The death of the Reverend Sister is pathetic and sad. A woman who died as a martyr in a bid to save souls she could have left. She could have escaped but she tried to save her child, may her soul rest in peace.
“From all I have heard from the GMD of NNPC, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and several eyewitness accounts, there is a lot of blame to go round. There was a lot of negligence both from government, from the community and everybody.
“But I can assure the people here that the Lagos State government is not going to abandon them. The Federal Government will also not abandon them. I want you to be rest assured that your government, because this is your government, I don’t care what party you belong to, it doesn’t mean anything to me, I don’t care where you come from, which religion you practice, right now is the time of sorrow and a time of grief.
“Sometimes, God has a way of doing things. It is in time like this that he brings us together, that we remember that we are all one and we must act as one. I know the governor has set up a committee to look at the causes, the effect and the way to address the damages. So, I come to encourage you, do not be discouraged, many lives have been lost, those who have lost brother, sister, family members, God will console you. We encourage you to be strong.”
While also calling on all Nigerians to learn the lessons from the explosion, Gbajabiamila said: “This is a lesson to all of us and we must learn from it. Things happen and the most important thing is that we must learn from these things when they happen. We must take the lessons to be learnt and we must tell each other the bitter truth.
“This is not the time for finger pointing, but this is the time to access, look at the mistakes we have made, where we have gone wrong, look at the damage. The time for blame and finger pointing will come later, but let us address the situation. This is the time to take stock. From the rubble we will build mansions again. It is the Nigeria spirit, that can-do spirit, that is what I see here today and by the Grace of God, we shall do whatever is necessary for us to get back on our feet. “
However, following the recent pipeline explosion that rocked Abule Ado in Amuwa Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, the Federal Government has announced plans to unveil what it called National Guidelines on Industrial Disasters and to commence sensitisation on communities where oil pipelines are laid to avert further explosion.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, disclosed this, yesterday, in a statement released by her Special Adviser on Media and Press Affairs, Salisu Dambatta.
While commiserating with the government of Lagos State and families of affected persons, she said all relevant national assets should be deployed to assist whenever such incidence occurred.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is vigorously working with the relevant stakeholders to provide National Guidelines on Industrial Disasters such as pipeline explosions and will carry out pipeline safety sensitization programmes in communities through which pipelines passed.
“The minister noted that, when disaster strikes, all national, sub-national and private assets should be utilized as demonstrated in the case of this explosion to ensure an effective, quick and coordinated response to such emergencies.
“While this industrial disaster is very unfortunate, the minister is pleased with the rapid response by the emergency services around Badagry and FESTAC town, as well as some emergency services belonging to some banks.
“While the relevant authorities are working to ascertain the number of lives lost, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development commiserates with the Lagos State Government, families of the deceased and all other affected persons and organisations that have suffered losses in one form or the other, as a result of the explosion,” the statement read.