The
Senate has mandated the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to
ensure strict compliance with Safety and the United Nations 1957
agreement concerning the carriage of dangerous goods by road.
The
directive was given to the FRSC following consideration of a motion
on “The need for Tankers Transporting Flammable Products and
Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) in Nigeria to Adhere to the 1957 United
Nations International Agreement Concerning the Carriage of Dangerous
Goods.”
Coming
under a point of order, sponsor of the motion, Senator Tolulope
Odebiyi (APC, Ogun West), said that a petroleum tanker with fuel
crashed on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway on Thursday, November 14,
2019.
According
to the lawmaker, the tanker emptied its contents on the road
following the crash and caused a terrible fire incident.
Odebiyi
recalled that Nigeria acceded to the United Nations 1957
International Agreement concerning the carriage of Dangerous Goods by
road on October 18, 2018, an agreement that came into force on
November 18, 2018.
“The
agreement requires trucks conveying dangerous goods, including
petroleum products to be installed with tanker seal valves, which
prevents the liquefied contents from spilling its content in the
event of an accident,” Odebiyi said.
The
lawmaker noted that the non-compliance of truck owners engaged in the
transportation of dangerous goods have constantly resulted in the
loss of lives and properties.
He
warned that unless concerned authorities implement the provisions of
the UN 1957 agreement which Nigeria is signatory to, these incidents
may continue unabated.
Accordingly
in its resolutions, the Senate commiserated with the families of
those involved in the accident and called on relief agencies to
provide assistance to all those affected.
The
upper chamber also observed a minute of silence in honour of those
who lost their lives.
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