Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has said that members of the the National Assembly were tired of continuous mourning of the victims of various killings and disasters that occurred on a daily basis as a result of the heightening spate of insecurity in the country.
This was even as he assured that both chambers of the National Assembly would step up legislative interventions to protect Nigerians against insecurity.
Our correspondent reports that members of the upper legislative chamber observed one-minute silence six times during yesterday’s plenary to honour Nigerians who lost their lives to various forms of insecurity in the country.
These include the motions brought through point of orders by Senators Ovie Omo-Agege on the murder of the Political Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Hon. Ahmed Gulak by unknown gunmen in Owerri, Imo State, Abdullahi Yahaya on the over 200 lives lost during the recent boat mishap in Kebbi, Ali Ndume on the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers in a plane crash near Kaduna International Airport, and Ibikunle Amosun on the gas explosions in Ogun State.
According to the Senate President, it is imperative for the National Assembly to step up legislative interventions to reduce the number of deaths caused by criminal activities.
He added that such interventions would be backed by collaborative efforts between the the Legislature, Executive and Nigerians to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
He said: “Let me observe that we have observed about six one-minute silences and most of it was to pray for the repose of the souls of Nigerians who were murdered or killed by criminals.
“It is very important that we step up our legislative intervention in ensuring that we protect the lives and properties of Nigerians to reduce the incidence of one-minute silence.
“I believe that the Senate and, indeed, the National Assembly, working together with the Executive and getting the support of Nigerians, we can bring the much needed succor to our people, and that is why we are here.”
The Senate, in its resolution on the the gas related fire incidents, mandated the Committees on Gas, and Industries to investigate the cause(s) of the recent cases of gas explosions in Ogun and other states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in order to find permanent and sustainable solutions that will save the lives of the people, and report back to the Senate.
It also called on the Federal and State Fire Services to enforce the mandatory use of fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and other safety equipment, in homes and places of work.
Similarly, it urged the Standards Organization of Nigeria, SON, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, National Orientation Agency, NOA, and marketers of gas and highly inflammable products to embark on aggressive, consistent sensitization and awareness campaigns on safe ways of using gas cylinders and other inflammable materials to save lives.
The upper legislative chamber specifically directed the DPR to put in place systems and structures for the enforcement of the federal government’s ban on consumer ownership of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG cylinders to enhance safety and deepen cooking gas penetration in the country, and to also step up the clamping down on illegal roadside retailers of LPG, who either operate without a valid license or who operate within residential areas, or licensed plants who lack basic and standard minimum requirements like fire extinguishers and detectors, water sprinkler, temperature gauge, pressure and volume measuring equipment, among others.
