Igwuruta Tanker Accident: Matters Arising

Penultimate Saturday, while unsuspecting residents were fast asleep, at 4.30am, tragedy of unprecedented proportion struck as a tanker laden with some 33,000 litres of petrol hit a ditch and fell around Igwuruta Roundabout on the Airport Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The accident resulted in the forceful leakage of the inflammable substance, which burst into flames and razed the entire circumference. The inferno claimed well over seven lives, including a whole family of four. The fire also inflicted first degree burns on scores of residents, who were later rushed to various hospitals for emergency medical attention while more than 15 houses with millions of naira valuable property therein and about four vehicles parked within the area destroyed.

Speaking while on a sympathy visit to families of the affected and an on-the-spot assessment of the level of damage in the area, Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, expressed shock and sadness at the number of lives lost, and the level of destruction of valuable property. “It is so disastrous. I hear an entire family is gone: husband, wife and three children… Look at the level of damage…”

Governor Amaechi, who blamed the unfortunate incident on the recklessness of the tanker driver and the erection of residential houses close to busy roads, assured the readiness of his government to reduce drivers’ recklessness on our roads, and warned residents not to build residential structures or do any business close to busy roads, as the consequences are severe.

According to him, “we must reduce the level of irresponsibility of some road users…. We will reconstruct the road around the Igwuruta roundabout”, which is a federal road to ensure free flow of traffic and avert similar tragic accidents in future.”

The Tide agrees with the governor that some of the major causes of fatal accidents on our roads are the recklessness of some of motorists, who are either unfamiliar with the bad spots on the roads, over speeding  or simply, drunk-driving. Although the main cause of the Igwuruta tanker accident is yet unknown, it may not be far removed from both reasons.

Whichever is applicable, it is imperative that motorists, whether heavy duty truck, small utility vehicle or even commercial vehicle drivers abstain from alcohol at all times, observe approved speed limits and also ensure that they are well familiar with the roads they ply so as to avoid any replay of the ugly early morning March 17 accident at Igwuruta roundabout.  We say so because if the tanker driver had been extra careful, being aware that he was getting close to a bumpy roundabout, he could have exercised enough discretion and caution to avert the unnecessary disaster that the accident has wrought.

While we condemn the excessive recklessness of many drivers on our roads, which has caused major fatal accidents, especially on our highways across the country, we also align with Governor Amaechi’s stance that some of the accidents and resultant deaths would have been avoided if residents had complied with government’s directive not to build structures either for residential or commercial purposes near the public rights of way. We, therefore, join the government to warn residents, particularly traders and property developers, to steer clear of major highways and other public roads, and ensure that they built their structures in line with subsisting laws and regulations. We also task officials of the Ministries of Urban Development and Housing to swing into action, and ensure that residents comply with all laws relating to property development and the promotion of commerce and industry.

We recall several efforts by government to check erection of illegal structures and indiscriminate trading near, and most times, on the roads within Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas through spot demolition exercises as part of its urban renewal programme. At Mile 3 and Mile 1 markets, Education Bus Stop, New Layout Market, Isaac Boro Park Flyover, among other bubbling points, government agents have had running battles with traders who see no other place to eke out a living than on the ever busy roads.

This action has been in part to avert frequent cases of deaths of the kind caused by petrol tanker at Igwuruta roundabout. This is why we implore genuine traders in the state to comply with government’s directives and move away from the roads to avoid unnecessary accidents, and possibly, deaths. To ensure total compliance, we insist that government agencies charged with the responsibility of decongesting the roads should not rest on their oars until recalcitrant traders are cleared permanently from the roads.

While we commend residents of Igwuruta for rallying support for the victims of the tanker accident by mobilising water and detergents to help quench the inferno and rescue those trapped in the fire, we roundly condemn the brazen manhandling of officials of the state fire service and attack on their firefighting trucks, for whatever reason. The fact that they responded to the distress call and got to the scene of the inferno would have pacified the villagers, who should have reckoned with the distance from where the firefighters were coming.

It is on this premise that The Tide urges the Rivers State Government to fast track construction work and complete, without further delay, fire service stations in all the local government headquarters and major towns and cities in the state. We regret that Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor, as large as the conglomerate is, cannot boast of, at least, six government-owned fire service stations, in addition to those operated by some corporate organisations, such as Shell Petroleum Development Company, TOTAL Upstream Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, and Port Harcourt International Airport.

The time for the government to proactively decentralise the state fire service to make it more responsive to the needs of the ever growing population, is now. Besides, if the government’s policy of demolishing illegal structures encroaching on public rights of way must be seen to be sustained for the benefit of the greater good of the people, then it must ensure that all remaining structures close to roads, whether at Igwuruta or any other area within the state, are demolished, and appropriate measures put in place to forestall any future encroachment on busy roads by residents.

This is the best possible way to avoid the present ugly and regrettable state of mourning in Igwuruta in particular and the entire state in general.