FCTA seeks stiffer punishment to petrol stations violating safety rules

Authority of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration, (FCTA), has sought for amendment to its fire prevention and fighting laws, to provide for stiffer enforcement and punishment for Petrol Stations owners who violate safety rules.

The Administration, through its Department of Fire Service lamented that despite its routine sensitization, fire inferno at Petrol stations around the nation’s capital has continued to increase.

The Director and Controller of the Service, Engr. Sani Sa’idu, who briefed journalists in Abuja, decried the weakness of the existing laws, saying it was not enough to curtail the level of negligence by operators, which obviously has always been responsible for the disturbing fire incidents.

Sa’idu noted that while firemen have intensified monitoring and supervision at the petrol stations, it has become necessary to ask for amendment to the existing legislation.

According to him, the standard best practice of allowing a petroleum products loaded truck that just arrived its destination to cool down before discharging has always been flouted.

He disclosed that discharging of the contents of the truck is usually best done in a conducive weather temperature, but owners and operators always disregard it.

Sa’idu further stated that while it will be absolutely difficult to post firemen to all Petrol Stations for close Monitoring, it will be important to have a law for punishing those who disregard the rules.