People scoop fuel from fallen petrol taner.jpeg
By OLA MODUPE, Ibadan –
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sounded the alarm on the dangers of scooping fuel from accidented tankers, citing the devastating consequences of loss of lives and property.
According to NEMA‘s Head of Operations in Ibadan, Mr. Kadiri Olanrewaju, the practice has led to numerous fatalities and destruction of property.
“Scooping fuel from accidented tankers is a serious offence, apart from the risk of fire outbreak that may occur during the practice, it is stealing,” warned Mrs. Ojuolape Busari, Administrative Secretary of Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA).
She emphasized the need for stiff penalties for anyone caught perpetrating the act.
NEMA, in collaboration with OYSEMA and other stakeholders, has launched a sensitization campaign to drive awareness against fuel scooping at the grassroots level.
The campaign, which started in Ogun, will soon extend to Osun, targeting local governments along trailer routes.
The Executive Chairman of Akinyele LGA, Hon. Akinwole Akinyele, suggested a radical approach: handling fuel transportation through the rail system, while reserving tankers for intra-city fuel transportation.
He also advocated for stricter fuel transportation regulations, vehicle maintenance, drivers’ training, and safer fuel handling practices.
“The attendant costs of tanker fire accidents have been huge, both in terms of the high number of fatalities and the loss or destruction of property, environmental damage, and public infrastructure,” Akinyele noted.
