Pascal Arogorn Ibe
In a bid to address the incessant gas explosion in the state, the Lagos State House of Assembly has directed its Committee on Special Duties to invite concerned stakeholders and agencies with a view to finding a lasting solution to the menace.
This was the resolution reached at an emergency plenary on Friday, after the member representing Alimosho Constituency 1, Mr Bisi Yusuf brought before the House the explosion that rocked the Baruwa area of Ayobo Ipaja, in which five lives were lost and several properties destroyed.
Yusuf, while recounting the incident, explained that it was a bad Thursday for the people of Alimosho after the explosion occurred and not only destroyed properties worth millions of naira but also took lives.
He noted that the House during the 8th Assembly came up with a resolution condemning siting gas plants within residential areas but that the resolution was not enforced by the necessary agencies.
Members, while lending their voices condemned a situation where gas plants are sited with residential areas, just as they urged the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to desist from approving siting of gas plants within residential areas.
Speaker of the House, while commiserating with the people of Alimosho, especially those who lost loved ones, said the House is the people’s representative can no longer fold its arms and continue to allow the loss of lives.
Obasa pointed out that the responsibility of the government is to protect lives in particular, adding that properties could be replaced when destroyed but lives are irreplaceable.
“So it is our duty to protect the lives of our people and how do we go about that? We need to get accurate information as to how these gas plants are being approved and how they are being supervised.
“We need to allow our committee on special duties to look into this and engage the necessary and concerned authorities and operators, so that we can get true pictures and what exactly is responsible for these explosions,” he said.
The committee on special duties of the House was, however, directed to report back to the House in one week.
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