Experts Task FG On Need For Effective Disaster Management
A typical scene of petrol tanker fire on the road
The Federal government of Nigeria has been urged to come out with far-reaching measures that will guarantee effective disaster management in the country to mitigate risks and reduce losses.
The FG was equally charged to end accidents involving tankers and trucks conveying petroleum products on Nigerian roads.
The call was made by the risk management experts at the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON) conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
Speaking at the event with the theme “Emerging Risks: Rising To The Challenge ” The out-going President of the Society, Engr. Jacob Adeosun, has expressed concern over high rate of disasters in Nigeria and called for prompt and decisive action by the Federal Government in addressing the catastrophic disasters periodically inflicted on Nigerians whenever the petrol tanker accidents occur.
Appalled by the spate of the petrol tanker disasters, Adeosun wants the Federal Government to take a bold risk management initiative to decisively deal with the realities which have continued to defy logical reasoning on why the ugly trend has not received adequate mitigating attention.
“The disasters seem unending. The developments are worrisome, especially on account of the irreplaceable loss of innocent lives, the innocent injured who may remain deformed for life and many who are suddenly stripped of their livelihoods as a result of the loss of their hard-earned properties ( houses, shops, vehicles etc) .The release further stated that “many of the victims would never recover from the colossal losses in the absence of any viable and effective compensation scheme,” he said.
He remarked that it is pertinent to examine existing reports of petrol tanker accidents and their attendant collateral damage and fatalities, stressing that most recent incident is the Onitsha Tanker fire of 16 October, 2019 which reportedly destroyed 40 houses and 500 shops, worsened by avoidable deaths and injuries.
The Upper Iweka Onitsha incident, he said according to reports was followed by another tanker explosion which destroyed buildings, vehicles and other valuables along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on 18 October, 2019. “In retrospect, we cannot forget the June 27, 2018 mayhem caused by the petrol tanker lorry explosion on the Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which reportedly killed 12 persons and annihilated over 50 vehicles in the inferno. September 10, 2018 witnessed another horrific gas tanker explosion at a petrol station along the Lafia Makurdi Road in Nassarawa State, recording 35 fatalities and over 100 injured,” he added.
According to a statement by the Society’s spokesman, Joseph Obah, the out-going President took a critical look at the petrol tanker mishaps, stating that since it is impossible to eliminate petroleum products tanker incidents, it would however be prudent and responsive for government to initiate new measures especially for the innocent victims of these horrendous disasters.
In his view the new measures with humanitarian perspectives, will go beyond merely lamenting these incidents by taking steps which will address the sufferings of victims. Adeosun posited that his recommendations would not dwell on loss control and accident prevention measures which a number of the Roads and Petroleum Industry Enforcement Agencies are already addressing.
Proffering solutions, he recommended that the Federal Government should initiate a new recovery or compensation empowerment of innocent victims of petrol tanker fires and explosions through insurance or any other system.
That the existing compulsory Third Party Motor insurance is totally unrealistic for the scale of the destruction visited on victims by these incidents. Therefore support from state governments would be an option but this also is fraught with the problem of adding to the plights of the already overburdened governments struggling with payment of salaries.
Continuing he also noted that in light of 2 above, the new RIMSON Executive led by Raymond Akalonu should liaise with appropriate industry stakeholders like the Nigeria Insurers Association and Government Agencies to undertake the design of a new responsive insurance solution, sinking fund or other viable alternative that will provide adequate care, recovery and restoration of innocent victims of petroleum products tanker disasters in Nigeria.
Mrs Adetola Adegbayi, Executive Director , Leadway Assurance , in her lecture ,titled : Artificial Intelligence and Liability Issues ; Rising To The Challenges of Emerging Risk, said every Society comes with it’s own risk and challenges.
Adegbayi said that the country must begin to look into the future and adopt humanoid robot to do public service work for prompt and effective delivery .
“We will still need humans to create the robot and make them work, so it does not mean that the use of robots would increase unemployment, rather it will create a different type of employment for people ,” she said.
According to her, redefined laws must however hold the makers of such machine accountable and responsible for any criminal offense it commits.
She called on all the stakeholders including governments at all levels to put in place necessary risks mitigating mechanisms in place, which she said is one of such mechanisms.
