By Ismaila Chafe/ Donald Ugwu
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock and sorrow over the Thursday’s fire incident in Lagos where many people are feared killed or injured, with several vehicles burnt.
The President made his feelings known in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, on Thursday.
“I’m very sad to learn of the tragic loss of lives, tens of vehicles, property and other valuables in the petrol tanker fire,’’ said President Buhari in reaction to the early reports reaching him concerning the incident.
President Buhari expressed his deepest condolences to the government and people of Lagos over the tragic incident.
He said: “Sadly, this seems to be one of the greatest tragedies we have seen in recent times.’’
The President urged the emergency services and law enforcement officials to do their best to limit the losses and damage from the incident.
According to him, the priority now is to ensure the survival of those people who could still be in danger.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier quoted the Federal Road Safety Corps saying that nine persons died in the petrol tanker fire around Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday after it caught fire and spread the inferno to the vehicles behind.
The FRSC also said in its update that the victims were burnt beyond recognition. There were four other serious injuries.
According to the FRSC, 54 vehicles were burnt. There were 45 cars caught in the inferno, along with five buses, two trucks, INEC tricycle and the tanker.
According to Bisi Kazeem, spokesman of the FRSC, the cause of accident was brake failure suffered by the petrol laden tanker.
A Joint rescue operation involving FRSC, LASEMA, NPF, RRS, NSCDC, Lagos State Fire service, LASTMA was mounted promptly within 10 minutes of the accident he said.
In another development, President Buhari on Thursday assented to two new bills, Sen. Ita Enang, the Presidential Liaison to the National Assembly (Senate), said.
Enang said while briefing State House Correspondents that the new laws were the Medical Residency Training Act, 2018; and the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (Establishment, Etc) (Amendment) Act, 2018.
According to Enang, the medical law enacts and regulates the Medical Residency Training Programme for the training of Medical Practitioners and Dental Surgeons.
The programme would be regulated and managed by the National Medical Post-graduate College of Nigeria.
He said that the programme was for persons with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB. BSc, MB. CH, B, BDS), or its equivalent, who had done the NYSC programme with discharge or exemption certificate.
He said such candidates should also possess professional indemnity certificate from a reputable insurance company, among others.
“This Act is directed at ensuring the quality and competence of medical practice and practitioners in Nigeria through statutory medical training programmes.
“It is to encourage medical tourism from other countries to Nigeria and build further confidence in Nigeria medical system,’’ he stated.
The Presidential Aide said the amended Hydro Power Act, No. 7 of 2010 reduced the derivation payable to the commission from 30 per cent to 10 per cent.
“The amendment further fortifies the power of the minister to issue policy directives as well as re-enforced statutory powers of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to regulate the Electricity Industry under the principal Act.
“The amendment eliminates ambiguity in the law and role conflict of the responsible institutions as well as properly providing for the exercise of statutory powers of NERC which was established before now,’’ he added.
