| Following Saturday’s emission from a poisonous gas in Kaduna State , which led to the hospitalization of at least 500 residents, the Federal Government has awarded contracts for the establishment of special response centres across the country to handle cases of persons affected by gas burns.
Environment Minister John Odey said in a statement last night that the Federal Ministry of Environment had awarded contracts for the establishment of Chemical Emergency Response Centres in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Kaduna and Abuja following the development.
Also yesterday, Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa said the state government would probe last Saturday’s poisonous gas emission.
Yakowa in a statement signed his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Reuben Buhari, said said all those found guilty of not following laid down safety rules would be made to face the law.
However, contrary to reports that two people died in the incident, the governor said no life was lost.
Odey said the emergency centres would serve to provide officers of the Federal and state ministries of environment with the wherewithal and capacity for swift response to chemical pollution emergences. The centres are expected to be commissioned by September this year.
“The ministry and its agencies in collaboration with state governments will further intensify their efforts in ensuring strict compliance to the different guidelines in establishing and operating Gas retailing businesses in Nigeria. This will be backed up with intensive awareness campaign across the country,” Odey said.
A noxious gas leakage occurred on Saturday along DIC Road opposite Arewa Textile Limited Kakuri in Kaduna State . Kakuri is a densely populated suburb in Kaduna Metropolis.
The explosion was said to have been caused by a welder engaged by a metal scrap dealer (Sokejon Enterprises Limited) in his bid to cut into pieces a big gas cylinder.
The statement said the content of the gas cylinder had been identified as Chlorine Gas, adding that the situation was made worse by the wind that carried the pollutant deep into the surrounding settlements.
The minister said both the metal scrap dealer and the welder ran away and they are yet to be apprehended.
Buhari said in the statement: “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, sympathizes with all those affected in yesterday’s Gas explosion at Sokoejon Enterprises, Kakuri, Kaduna State.
“The government will do all within it powers to ensure that all those affected are adequately catered for.
“The government also gives gratitude to God that no life was lost in the incident and is determined to ensure that such future occurrences are reduced to the barest minimum. This will be done through stricter enforcement of the highest safety standards within all companies operating in the state” the statement said.
Meanwhile, calm has returned to the Kakuri area, with residents going about freely.
Men of the “Operation Yaki”, the state’s security outfit comprising the army and the police who were deployed to the place, have been withdrawn.
Also, nurses at the St.Gerald Hospital told our correspondent that all those brought to the hospital were treated as “out patients” and were discharged after they had stabilized.
According to the minister, following the swift response of the agencies, no death occurred although about 500 people including children that inhaled the gas were rendered unconscious and were taken to hospitals and clinics.
Odey said the situation had been brought under control by yesterday when the chlorine gas was saturated with large volume of water.
“The cylinder was finally wrapped with thick polythene sheet to prevent any residual leakage and taken to designated landfill along Kaduna – Abuja Road where it was safely disposed off in deep trench,” he said. |
