Sunday Ani
Following the gas explosion at Abule-Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, the state House of Assembly, has called on the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), to ensure strict compliance on the Right of Way on pipelines.
The House also called on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to set up an investigative panel with a view to bringing perpetrators of the heinous act to book.
Recall that the explosion claimed no fewer than 15 lives with property worth millions of naira destroyed, and hundreds of residents rendered homeless.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Hon. Mojisola Ali-Macaulay, representing Amuwo-Odofin l. The motion was equally seconded Ageh Sulaiman, representing Amuwo-Odofin ll State Constituency.
Ali-Macaulay, who was enveloped by emotion, described the day of the incident as a fatal Sunday, saying: “A lot of lives were lost and many people were rendered homeless.”
The House also called on Non-Governmental Organisations, local and foreign, to contribute to the Fund set up by the state government to ameliorate the sufferings of the affected people.
Similarly, Hon Abiodun Tobun lambasted the PPMC for not living up to its mandate. “The pipes are old. I’m of the opinion that Lagos State Government should take the PPMC to court,” Tobun said.
The lawmakers took turns to sympathise with the families of the victims, even as they charged the state government to act fast to forestall reoccurrence.
However, the lawmakers, during plenary yesterday, passed a vote of confidence on the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, over issues relating to the purchase of vehicles worth N2.4 billion for the members of the Assembly.
Obasa has also declared that there was no going back on the suspension of the four lawmakers by the Assembly.
The suspended lawmakers included former Chief Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu 2), former Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh (Apapa 2), Hon. Moshood Oshun (Lagos Mainland 2) and Hon. Raheem Kazeem Adewale (Ibeju-Lekki 2).
The issue of the petition against the Speaker was before the House during plenary by Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu Constituency 1) under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
In the petition titled, Petition against Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudasiru Obasa on Gross Financial Misconduct, Criminal Breach of Public Trust and Abuse of Office and allegedly addressed to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Executive Director, Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak, maintained that popular demand necessitated the petition.
Hon. Olowo described the petition as malicious and against the image of the House.
“It was stated that the House bought vehicles worth N2.4 billion. Since I joined the House of Assembly, we always got two vehicles before the end of the Assembly. In 2007, I got a vehicle and a back up vehicle before the end of the Assembly. The vehicles are always budgeted for and it has been like that right from the time of Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji.
In the 9th Assembly, we just got our official vehicles in November/December, 2019. None of the 11 new members got two vehicles. We insisted on Prado Jeep and Mr. Speaker didn’t want to give us, but we insisted on it. We are all beneficiaries of the largesse, yet, we go about making insinuations and leaking information to the whole world,” he said.
Olowo then moved a motion that a vote of confidence should be passed on Obasa whom he described as a democratic, responsible and reliable leader. He was supported by a majority of the lawmakers through the raising of their hands.