The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called on Government to direct entities dealing in explosive and volatile substances to emphasize health and safety guidelines in order to avoid likely disasters like what befell Beirut, Lebanon on Tuesday.
The explosion, which left over 100 people dead and wounded over 4000 occurred at the city port points where an estimated 2750 metric tons of explosive ammonium nitrate had been stored at a warehouse.
While giving her communication from the chair at the start of the plenary sitting of the House on Wednesday 5 August 2020, Kadaga asked the institutions dealing in explosive materials to take precautionary measures in order to avoid such a calamity happening in Uganda.
She also pointed out the potential danger paused to the population by fuel stations that are spread out in various parts of Kampala and the country.
“We have complained time and again about licensing petrol stations in the central business district; for instance Plot 1 on Kampala Road is occupied by a fuel station located in the centre of numerous offices,” she said.
The Speaker asked the Government to regulate the number and location of fuel stations especially in sensitive areas with high human concentration.
