The Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers has pledged to lobby the National Assembly and the 36 state Houses of Assembly to enact legislation empowering the body to tackle frequent building collapses and oil tanker accidents across Nigeria.
NiSafetyE, a subsidiary of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, raised alarm over the rising cases of fuel tanker accidents and building collapses, which have caused significant loss of lives and destruction of property over the years. The institution attributed the incidents to weak regulatory frameworks.
Safety campaigns and tanker regulations
Speaking during the weekend investiture of the 5th national chairman of NiSafetyE, Dr. Andrew Monday Abanum, said his administration would intensify awareness campaigns to educate tanker drivers on prioritizing safety in transporting petroleum products.
“Whenever a tanker laden with petroleum products gets involved in an accident, the devastation is usually massive — people at the scene get burnt, and property worth millions of naira is destroyed,” Dr. Abanum said.
He added that all petroleum tankers should meet the safety standards of the Standards Organization of Nigeria, drivers must be certified mentally fit, and government roads maintained to minimize accidents.
Addressing building collapses
On the issue of building collapses, Dr. Abanum stressed that projects must be handled by certified engineers, use quality materials, and adhere strictly to structural and design standards.
“Substandard building materials in the market must be examined. Quality materials must be considered, and structural designs properly followed before any building project is carried out,” he said.
Dr. Abanum said that during his two-year tenure, NiSafetyE would push for legislation enabling safety bodies to enforce compliance and sanction those who flout safety regulations, aiming to reduce preventable accidents nationwide.
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