The gas explosion of Tuesday, May 17, 2022, which occurred in Sabongari, in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, exposes one obvious fact that most Ministries Departments and Agencies in the state have abandoned their statutory responsibility of enforcing standards and ensuring that citizens operate in line with enacted laws, rules and regulations that are designed to protect us and our environment.
In this case, the Kano Urban Development and Protection Agency (KNUPDA), the state’s parastatal charged with the task of controlling and monitoring excesses, must be blamed for allowing commercial welding activity to take place at the location where this unfortunate incident happened.
It is important to note that due to the ineptitude of some government officials, everyone is to himself in Kano, as building codes are violated. Almost every available place is being converted into a market, corner shop, provision store, grocery, shopping plaza, welding workshop, gas refilling plant, filling station, event center automobile garage/workshop or vehicle showroom.
Individuals are allowed to set their own standards and parameters, build and erect structures without obtaining any permit. In some cases, officials are compromised and influenced to give approval to every manner of request. Hawkers, street traders and the physically challenged are everywhere along major roads, entry/exit points around Kano metropolis. One wonders whether Kano state government has any Master Plan for the eight local government areas that make up the urban centre.
Going by the above scenario, it may be right to say that KNUPDA is fast collapsing. There is, therefore, need for the government to restructure the outfit and set new goals for it, otherwise, we may not see the end of gas explosion, building collapse, environmental decay, loss of lives and property.
D. Aminu wrote from Kano through [email protected]
