Lagos bus-train accident committee unveils recommendations for victims

The Lagos State Government has published its findings after detailed investigations into the bus-train accident which happened earlier in the month.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday after findings of a nine-member committee, assembled in the wake of the March 9 disaster, and the government may be set to compensate those who were hurt when a train and a bus carrying state employees collided.

The statement was published on the state government’s official Facebook page.

Amongst the packages are concessionary tuitions to one of each deceased victim’s biological offspring as well as employment to one of their employable children.

The statement reads, “Findings of the report showed that the accident had six fatalities from a total of 102 passengers involved, with 85 passengers on board the staff bus, while 17 were on the train.

“The committee as part of its recommendations advised: Death benefits from the Group Life Insurance for families of the deceased, provision of employment to one employable child of the deceased and a concessionary scholarship to one of the deceased’s biological children.

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“Injured accident victims were also recommended in the report to be paid full insurance claims as compensation while any staff victim with a permanent disability is also to be compensated in line with the Group Life Insurance Policy of the state, among other benefits.

“The committee, which consists permanent secretaries from relevant ministries of the state public service, was set up to identify the families of the deceased and their dependents, as well as the injured officers, and to determine appropriate compensation packages for each affected family and staff of the state government.

“A final decision on the committee’s recommendations will be taken by the state executive council and further directives communicated by the Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.”

The Lagos State Government had explained why the ill-fated staff bus, which collided with a train at the Shogunle axis of the state leading to the death of six persons, was overloaded.

It said the bus had to take more than its capacity because the cash crisis forced many workers to opt for the free bus.

Tragedy struck around 8am on Thursday, March 9, when the driver of the staff bus ignored signals from the officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and drove into the rail track when a train was fast approaching. The bus driver overtook vehicles waiting for the train to pass and was hit by the passenger train before it could cross the track.

No fewer than six persons were killed while scores had varying degrees of injuries.

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