AAUA: Tackling the Burden of Truck Accidents
The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, had been overburdened by auto accidents in the university community. Stakeholders in the community explained to James Sowole why all hands must be on deck to avert future occurrence
Amajor feature when approaching entrance of higher institutiions in Nigeria, that are sited along highways, are speed breakers of different shapes and sizes. Initially, speed breakers, are usually erected at both ends of the road few metres to the main entrance, but more are added as concentration of students increases around the school areas as many of them, live in private hostels, built around such areas.
The speed breakers are erected to force motorists to drive at a very slow speed, to allow pedestrians comprising students, staff and other members of the public to gain access into the school premises through the main gate, while driving or walking.
These speed breakers are responsible for traffic congestions spanning for as long as 100 metres on daily basis as one approaches school from both end of the highway, depending on the time of the day and events, being hosted by the institution.
In some cases however, the erection of the speed breakers, do not presupposes total absence of auto accident near schools’ gates due to the topography and wideness of the road when motorists are approaching the school areas. Another cause of the accidents, which in number of cases result in fatality, is the nature of existing structures like markets and commercial properties, around the school areas.
These two reasons on a number of times, are responsible for auto mishaps, involving articulated trucks at Akungba Akoko Community, which hosts the Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), in Akoko South West Local Government. Whenever there is an accident, reactions from students’ community, in most cases, always lead to closure of schools and consequent disruption of academic calendar.
In the last five months, the university town, has recorded no fewer than three accidents involving articulated trucks and which had claimed almost 20 lives including that of students of AAUA.
On December 11, 2020, two trucks collided and went up in flames in front of the AAUA main entrance killing two persons, while the latest one happened on January 23, 2021, opposite the school gate, few days after the students resumed for examination, following a long break occasioned by COVID-19 and strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Prior to the two accidents, the driver of a rice- laden truck on October 30, 2020, lost control and rammed into the market at Ibaka area of the university town, killing about nine persons while several others, were injured just as properties worth millions of naira , were destroyed.
The January 23, 2021, accident that killed many people, including some AAUA students, happened in similar manner as the driver of a trailer, labelled Dangote Cement, coming from Obajana in Kogi State and descending the notorious Okerigbo Hill from Ikare end of the road, lost control due to break failure and rammed into shops opposite the school.
According to the Ondo State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the state command of the Nigeria Police, no fewer than nine persons including some students, lost their lives while several people were injured in the accident. However, it was gathered that the death toll increased later.
In the latest accident , it was a pathetic moment for the AAUA community, the Akungba Akoko community and the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident, particularly the students who just resumed for academic activities, after several months of staying at home.
The most pathetic part of the incident was the case of Ogini family, which lost four members to the crash; Kelvin Ogini, a graduate of Public Administration of the institution, who operated a small cyber café opposite the school to make ends meet, his brother and sister Ayokunke and Oluwaseun respectively, who were still students of the university, were reportedly crushed to death by the ill-fated cement-laden truck.
Kelvin’s siblings were said to have joined him in the shop, on the fateful day to assist him before they were crushed to death on the spot by the truck. It was gathered that the mother of the three siblings, collapsed and died immediately,
she heard of the incident.
Apart from Ogini’s siblings, a former Student Union President of the university, Adesomoju Samuel popularly known as ‘Sampraise’ was another victim. Adesomoju, was identified at the hospital morgue by his colleagues.
The death of Adesomoju, who hailed from Okitipupa in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state. Sampraise, as popularly called by his fellow students, was a 500 level students of Faculty of Law, who ought to have completed his studies, but for the long break caused by COVID-19 and ASUU strike.
Sequel to the recurring accidents with its attendant consequences, many stakeholders have been calling on both the federal and the state governments to find a lasting solution to the sloppy Okerigbo Hill, that often led to break failures, when trailers are descending and which was the main cause of accidents involving articulated trucks in the university town.
Being a traditional community, some people were however, of the opinion that some evil spirits were dwelling in the areas which needed to be appeased.
In line with their beliefs, some old women of the community engaged in traditional acts of spiritual cleansing of the community against evil spirits and bad luck. The aged women therefore, trooped out in their numbers holding brooms and chanting songs of ‘enough is enough’ .The women who earlier converged on the Palace of Alale of Akungba, went straight to the hilly part of the community sweeping away diabolical spirits believed to be the cause of the continuous predicament. Some traditionalists, also approached the palace for permission to appease the gods of the land for spiritual cleansing.
Equally, Christian and Muslim faithfuls in the town held several sessions of prayers and fasting, with the belief that “the demons behind the rampant accidents”, would be curbed.
However, some people believed that it was the topography of the road and recklessness of the truck drivers and faulty condition of the trucks that usually caused the problem and there was a need for the government to redesign and reconstruct the road to save lives of the people.
One of the survivors of the fatal crash, who identified himself as Adekunle Ademola, explained that he survived the accident by a miracle . The 27-year-old business man explained that the trailer, which was descending the sloppy road from the Ikare end towards the university gate area with full speed after losing control, faced him and he managed to maneuver to the other lane.
In spite of crossing to the other side of the road, Ademola stated that the truck still crushed his jeep.
According to him, “some occupants in my vehicle, were removed from the wreckage after the windscreen was broken by sympathisers.”
He however, said he came out of the badly damaged vehicle unhurt.
Also, a pathetic story was narrated by 23-year-old Miss Anuoluwa Olorunfemi, who lost her mother,
Mrs Caroline Olorunfemi to the accident. She said her late mother, who was a petty trader, narrowly escaped being a victim of the previous road crash in the area and in order to prevent being a victim in the future, she moved her stall away from the scene of the previous accident to a new place where she perceived would be safer, but it was at her new shop, that death came through the evil trailer. Bothered by the accident, the AAUA management, swung into action and took some temporary measures. The management in a circular, signed by the Acting Registrar, Mr. Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa, directed that the main gate should be closed with immediate effect advising staff and students to make use of the Sports Center gate, Guest House gate, Eastern gate and two small gates (i.e the one leading to the Works and Services Department and the one leading to the Student Union building).
As a mark of respect for the departed students, the examinations scheduled to start on January 24, 2021, was postponed.
Describing the accident as a tragedy to the host community, the management of the university and the Nigerian students at large, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Olugbenga Ige, said it was painful that some students were involved and sadly, they lost their lives for coming to school to learn and be educated.
“The last one that happened, we had to constitute a committee whose recommendations we have implemented. The committee recommended that roadside trading should be banned and the community market should be relocated and it was complied with.”
While proffering a lasting solution to the incessant trailer accident, Ige said the hilly route of the community, near the Institution should be stepped down. He also suggested that heavy-duty trucks should be barred from plying the route.
The much expected, however happened on January 24, 2021, sequel to the unabated students protest. The university was closed indefinitely and all students directed to vacate the school premises immediately, thus disrupting the 2019/2020 first semester examination. As part of measures to forestall further accident involving trailers, a truck barrier was erected across the narrow road few metres to the gate of the university to prevent a thorough fare of heavy trucks along the university gate.
One month after the accident, the first semester examination, would start today, January 23.
Speaking with THISDAY, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Victor Oluwapelumi, said measures have been put in place to ensure a hitch free examination.
According to him, the main gate will remain closed as alternative entrances identified when the latest accident newly happened, would remain in use, adding that other pedestrian entrances have also been opened, to ensure easy access of students and staff into the school premises.
Akinpelumi disclosed that as part of measures to reduce students’ influx to the roadside markets, that are usually affected in case of accidents, the university has the intention of building a mammy market within the school premises.
He said the State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had visited the sloppy side of the road with some persons suspected to be contractors, probably with the aim of reconstructing the portion of the road.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler, the Alale of Akungba, Oba Isaac Ajimo, who expressed worry over the sad occurrence, confirmed several efforts of all sectors of the community in finding solution to the troubling situation, but the efforts were yet to yield any outcomes. He promised to engage the authorities and stakeholders on the matter in order to achieve the desired solution.
According to the monarch, “what is happening in Akungba is the ugly side of urbanisation without expansion. The heavy traffic inter- regional road from Lagos to Abuja that passes through the narrow road in our town and the hilly topography of our location, is mainly responsible for the incessant accidents.
“We have been engaging all stakeholders from the state government, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), university community, youths and other elements in the society and we won’t relent.”
In some Niger Delta communities, they often don't know the difference between day and night because of the flares from gas, which releases black soots into the sky. Over the years, the affected host communities have decried the effect of such gas flares on their environment and health.
Their fears are legitimate as constant exposure to air pollutants released by gas flaring have been linked to cancer and lung damage, as well as neurological (central and peripheral nervous system) and reproductive problems.
Effects on Environment, Humans
Given that gas flaring occurs when crude oil is extracted from underground and natural gas is brought to the surface, it emits powerful climate forcers and dangerous air pollutants like black carbon, methane, and volatile organic compounds, which is dangerous to health.
These gas flares are killing crops, polluting water and damaging human health, just as it makes the weather perpetually hot for host communities.
Projections for Nigeria
Given the harm gas flaring portends, Minister of state for Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva, vowed that Nigeria will join the global community in achieving complete elimination of gas flaring by 2025.
Sylva made the disclosure at a public hearing on ‘Need to End Gas Flaring in Nigeria and Harness Associated Gas in Nigeria’ organised by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Gas Resources, Environment and Climate Change.
Speaking at the hearing, the minister said the issue of gas flaring is something that the ministry takes very seriously, noting that Nigeria has however reduced gas flaring to eight per cent.
“We believe, with all the programmes lined up, that we are on course to achieve complete elimination of gas flaring by 2025. We take the issue of gas flaring in the ministry very seriously,” Sylva said.
Corroborating Sylva’s statement, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, in his presentation, revealed that the corporation is executing a number of projects to make sure that gas flare is taken out completely, adding that increasing the flaring penalty is not the solution, given that it is better to create commercial tanks that will enable companies invest in the flare which can be converted into money.
“Two things must happen: one is to put the enabling infrastructure which we are doing immensely. We are building major trunk lines that will receive the flared gas that you are seeing today. We are connecting most parts of this country to the gas network so that people can convert this gas to power industries and they are all within sight.
“Just to put it in perspective, by the end of March, we have what we will call the quarry cluster for flared gas. It makes about 200 million cups of gas. By the end of March, this will vanish because once we end connecting all the lines, automatically, it goes away.
”No matter how much penalty you put, if the cost of penalty is cheaper than developing, people will continue to flare and pay the penalty. You can raise the penalty to any number and what it does is that it will completely make the people not to invest in anything,” Kyari said.
The Chairman, Joint Committee of the House on Gas Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Mutu Nicholas, stated that Nigeria loses over $750 million in annual revenue from flared gas.
Nicholas explained that the gas that is being flared is feedstock for other industries, which if properly harnessed would stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and provide income for midstream companies and earn revenue for government through taxes.
The lawmaker lamented that efforts by Nigerian government to stop gas flaring have been inadequate and ineffective since 1979 when Nigeria made the first legislative attempt to address the problem of gas flare.
He said: ”Gas flare is a malady that we must work together to eliminate at the shortest time possible; because of its all-round adverse effects on the environment and socio-economic well-being of the people of Niger Delta region, as well as on the fiscal measures of the federal government. At current estimates by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Nigeria
loses over $750 million in annual revenue from flared gas.
”Zero-fiare gas deadlines have routinely shifted to future dates. We thus commend government for the 2018 Gas Flare regulation which imposes the penalty of $2.00 per million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas flared. Still, we would like to stress the need for compliance with the provisions of the penalty regime. Since the gas flare regulation was released in 2018, this committee has received reports on flare volume discrepancies.”
Commitment to Change the Narrative
Expressing commitment to change the narrative given the many unfruitful conversations in the past, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, affirmed the 9th House’s dedication to the cause through legislative action such as bills and oversight functions.
He said: ”The conversation about gas flaring in Nigeria has been going on for a long time. Unfortunately, those conversations have not yielded the desired results. We have not managed to end the environmental damage that results from gas flaring, and we are still deprived of the economic benefits of full utilisation of gas resources in our country. In this 9th House of Representatives, we intend to do everything we can to change this narrative.”
Host Communities
The President of host communities, Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, in his presentation, lamented that they are suffering from the emission of poisonous substances into their environment, by oil and gas industry. He further appealed to all stakeholders to be partners in progress, so as to create a win-win situation for the oil companies, government and host communities.
Flaring Reduction Project
The policy position of the FG is that gas flaring is unacceptable, thus, it has initiated a number of actions to reaffirm its commitment to ending the practice of gas flaring. Specifically, the FG has ratified the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and is a signatory to the Global Gas Flaring Partnership (GGFR) principles for
global flare-out by 2030 whilst committing to a national flare-out target by year 2020.
But one project that will aid the eradication of gas flaring is the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline Project. The $2.8 billion gas pipeline project of President Muhammadu Buhari, it is believed will aid the ending of gas flare. The 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano project is expected to add 3,600MW of electricity to the grid when completed and also supply industrial clusters with constant power.
At a technical workshop last year, with the theme: “Gas Utilisation in Nigeria: Challenges, Opportunity and Outlook,” organised by Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Lagos Branch, the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Ladan Mordecai Lawan revealed that Nigeria had 200.79 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves. This quantity places Nigeria as a gas-producing nation because of its potential gas reserves which were more than its crude oil reserves.
Represented by the Deputy Manager, Gas Division of DPR, Mr Olawale Ogunsola, he said national gas reserves rose to 200.79 trillion cubic feet as of January 1, 2019. Giving a breakdown, he revealed that Nigeria produces daily 1.2 billion standard cubic feet (scf) with 41 per cent of the daily production exported while 48 per cent went to the domestic market, and 11 per cent was being flared.
“From this, it is obvious that the country has a gas resource in abundance. In the global ranking, Nigeria is number nine in terms of reserves. But the country’s gas production and utilisation are still low,” he said.
According to reports, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna– Kano natural gas pipeline is also designed to pave the way for the development of three-based Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in Abuja (1350MW), Kaduna (900MW) and Kano (1350MW) respectively.
AKK Pipeline will transport up to 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day from various gas gathering sites in Southern Nigeria and process at Ajaokuta will produce Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) used largely for domestic cooking, while the remaining dry gas will be transported to supply feedstock for new power plants and petrochemical plants at Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
This project, which is a section of the TransNigeria Gas Pipeline (TNGP), will enhance natural gas supply through pipe from the South to the North of the country. It will originate from Ajaokuta in Kogi State, traverse Abuja (FCT), Niger State, Kaduna State and terminate in Kano State and can transport about 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas daily.
The project will be linked to the EscravosLagos Pipeline System II (ELPS II) and (OB3) gas pipeline currently under construction, thus doubling the capacity to over three billion cubic feet of gas per day.
Oil and gas experts have identified reduction of flared gas, monetisation of the abundant gas resources locked up due to infrastructure deficit and increase in the use of domestic gas as some of the impacts of the project when completed.
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR)’s statistics shows that Nigeria has over 200 trillion standard cubic feet (Tscf) of gas reserves. This figure was as of January 2020. Sadly, in 2018, the country flared no less than 324 billion standard cubic feet of gas, which can generate 2,500 megawatts (Mw) of power. Aside this, it can attract $3.5 billion investments in the country, according to the DPR. With the coming on stream of the AKK, these benefits can be reaped.
The project, which is a 40-inch by 614km pipeline, has capacity to transport 2.2Bcf/ of natural gas per day and will unlock the domestic market. Aside from this, it will supply gas to generate 3,600Mw of power to the national grid. It is also said to be capable of helping to revitalise over 232 industries.
In the area of job creation, the government said over one million jobs would be created; fertiliser, methanol and other gas-based industries will generate employment and facilitate balanced economic growth. It is also expected that the project will revitalise the textile industry which used to boast of over three million jobs in parts of the country.
Other moribund industries along transit towns in Kogi State, Abuja, Niger State, Kaduna State and Kano State are expected to come alive when the project is completed. Also, it will have significant job creation potential, foster the development and utilisation of local skills and manpower, technology transfer and promote local manufacturing.
Using the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP), approximately $1billion per annum will be generated and in the pipeline’s useful life of 30 years, a conservative cumulative gain to GDP of $30 billion is expected, according to government.
The project will supply gas to three Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in Abuja with combined output of 1350Mw, Kaduna (900Mw) and Kano (1350Mw). These benefits are huge by any standard. With improvement in power generation and distribution, businesses are expected to thrive and new ones are expected to come on board and take away from the pool of jobless Nigerians.
When completed in two years as planned, the country will also earn more foreign exchange given the fact that the AKK is a significant part of the ambitious pipeline project designed to supply gas to Europe through the proposed Trans Sahara Gas Pipeline (TSGO) and the Nigeria Morocco Gas Pipelines. By the time the project is integrated into these two other projects, Nigeria will earn more foreign exchange and shore up its foreign reserves, which has been depleted as a result of the sharp drop in the price of crude oil.
At the inauguration of the AKK project, Buhari urged the private sector to champion the efforts for optimal use of the nation’s gas resources, insisting that the private sector has what is required to create a petrochemical hub aimed at resurrecting the manufacturing industry and putting the country on the path of increased self-sufficiency.
According to the Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN ) National Vice-President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, well-meaning Nigerians have started taking advantage of the gas project.
“Now there are states such as Kaduna and Kano that have started constructing LPG filling stations. They are targeting the AKK plant as their source of energy. When the project gets to Kano and Kaduna, it will impact on other northern states. Normally, the transportation of gas increases the rate. When it is being pushed down, the cost will reduce and it will lead to gas availability,” he said.