A risk expert and industrial safety professional, Jacob Adeosun, has called on the government’s intervention at all levels to provide an insurance plan for recurring disasters, including fire, and petroleum tankers.
Adeosu, who spoke in an interview with journalists in Lagos, said Nigerian marketplaces, local boats and petroleum tankers may be unattractive to insurance operators, hence the call on government to intervene in the areas.
He called on the government to embrace insurance solutions to support adequate compensation for the affected people, saying: “I know that such insurance solutions would incorporate loss prevention and regulations enforcement to sustain the scheme”.
Adeosun suggested that President Tinubu should task a few institutions in the sector such as establishing a special insurance pool to be initially funded by the government and structured to be self-sustainable.
Adeosun noted that most times, the market structures are without inbuilt fire safety features while they are overcrowded and stocked with several types of combustible and flammable materials.
“But it seems the authorities turn blind eyes to these shortcomings until a disaster occurs.
“Why are we behaving as if there are no safety standards and regulations for occupational and fire safety practices in Nigeria? Since these exist, why are they not being applied everywhere by everyone? Again, situation management appears to be lacking in the public domain,” he said.
