According to a news report from the Kwara State Government Facebook Page, Kwara State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq CON has commiserated with his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the people of the state over the tanker inferno which claimed lives and properties on Friday night.

The NGF Chairman who visited the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt, the state’s capital, on Sunday commiserates with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the people and government of Rivers State over the Friday night’s tanker inferno which claimed the lives of five persons and razed over 120 vehicles on the Indorama-Aleto bridge axis of the East-West Road in Eleme Local Government Area of the State.

The Forum’s Chairman added that discussions are advancing among the 36 state governors and strategic federal agencies in the oil and gas industry over the adoption of safer methods of transportation of petroleum products across the country.

AbdulRazaq recalled a similar carnage in Ogun State, which was caused by a tanker conveying Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) that impacted lives.

He described what happened in Rivers State as a huge loss, and his meeting with Fubara availed them of the opportunity to have peer review discussions over the incident.

He said, “I came over to commiserate with the Government and people of Rivers State over the tanker fire incident and the subsequent huge loss of lives. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

“We have peer review discussions over it. And a similar incident happened in Ogun State as well, which you are aware of, and that’s a CNG tanker, Rivers State was petrol tanker,” he said.

Governor AbdulRazaq also said: “We also spoke with the Head of the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, and there will be a review of some laws. There will also be engagement between the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency and State Agencies in terms of ensuring health and safety on these issues.

“As you know, Nigeria relies a lot, virtually, on pipelines for the movement of petroleum products, and we need to strengthen regulations in that sector and also emphasize on improving and expanding pipelines for the transportation of products as well,” the NGF chairman added.