Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident caused by a tanker conveying premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed a good number of vehicles.
The incident occurred between Indorama Gate and Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road now undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.
Governor Fubara expressed his sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident, accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.
The Governor explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.
At the news of the incident, Governor Fubara stated that he immediate routed a call to the security agencies and instructed that they visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.
Governor Fubara said: “We are here to see for ourselves and get a first hand information of the incident of what happened yesterday night.
“About 7.30 – 8pm, we got information of the gravity of the incident. I was told that it was caused by a tanker vehicle that was conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“In fact, I got the information through the MD of Indorama, and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure they take control of the security situation in the area.
“And from what we are seeing this morning, it was not a pleasant case. We recorded a huge number of vehicles being destroyed and lives lost.
Governor Fubara explained that he had already requested the relevant government agencies to provide him a detailed account of their findings to enable the State Government take appropriate decisions and actions to significantly remedy the situation and reduce the negative on the affected people.
“I have already asked the relevant agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing to how much we can support the families that are bereaved, and also cushion the effect of the loses, which I believe, is no fault of a good number of them.
“We all know the situation of this road. It is really unfortunate. Most of our people, when plying this road, should ply it with caution.
“I believe very strongly that this situation would have been avoidable, if the motorists had behaved properly. But it is late already. The damage has happened. This is the situation we have found ourselves. We will see how we can control the aftermath,” he added.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has promised to make the State first choice medical tourism destination in Nigeria and Africa at large.
The governor made the promise yesterday while speaking to newsmen in Government House, Port Harcourt, on the modest achievements of his administration in the health sector since assumption of office.
According to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara identified some challenges that have frustrated smooth delivery of healthcare services in the State, and promised to tackle them.
He identified lack of manpower, corruption, indiscipline and poor management as part of the challenges confronting the healthcare system in the state, assuring that he would nip them in the bud.
The governor said to achieve the vision, his administration is seriously paying greater attention to improving healthcare infrastructure and services available to the people, particularly at the primary level to bridge observed gaps between the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services in the State.
He stressed that the ongoing reconstruction, rehabilitation and upgrade of all primary healthcare facilities across the State, with a view to integrating them with existing secondary and tertiary institutions, was intended to deliver immediate, but quality healthcare services to majority of the people.
He said: “With all these on ground, it is evident that the primary challenges in our healthcare system are more with inadequate manpower, corruption, indiscipline and ineffective management.
“We will deal with all identified challenges and ensure that the healthcare system functions optimally to deliver affordable and efficient services to all citizens of the State.”
He stated that, besides the construction, renovation and upgrade of primary healthcare centres across the State, the capacity of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) has been improved with the training of personnel, and establishment of critical units, equipped with modern equipment to deliver sterling expertise services to patients.
Fubara said: “We are proud of our modest achievements in the health sector, particularly in the construction of primary healthcare centres. We are also supporting the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital to perform optimally. Do not also forget the contributory healthcare insurance law that we have started implementing.
“I assure you that we will complete all the ongoing healthcare infrastructure projects that we have around the state.”
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, said that under the leadership of Governor Fubara, the State has experienced formidable strides in building a rigorous and robust primary healthcare system.
Dr Oreh noted that the current emphasis was on renovating and upgrading already existing primary healthcare facilities in order to enhance their functionality so that Rivers people can have access to affordable and accessible primary healthcare services in the State.

The Rivers State Government has faulted the State House of Assembly over the passing into law of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission Amendment Bill, 2024.
The Tide learnt that 24 lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, were present at last Friday’s emergency plenary where the new law was enacted without the governor’s assent.
The action of the lawmakers to override the governor was sequel to an observation by the House Majority Leader, Major Jack, that the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission Amendment Bill which was sent to Governor Siminalayi Fubara since February 19, 2024 had yet to be assented to by the governor.
But the Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Hon. Edison Ehie, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday and made available to The Tide, said the lawmakers lacked the powers they intend to assume.
Ehie stated, “The Rivers State House of Assembly lacks the powers, legal or otherwise, to remove the power of appointment of the Chairman and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission from the governor and vest that power on themselves.
“The provision in the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission (Amendment) Law, 2024 seeking to vest that power on the House is in clear contravention of the 1999 Constitution, and therefore, a nullity in the eyes of the Law. See the case of MacFoy v UAC (1961) 3 All ER 1169 where the court held that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.”
Ehie argued that the alteration to the Third Schedule, paragraph 1A provides that the composition, tenure, structure, finance, functions, powers, and other proceedings of the Commission shall be as prescribed by a law of the House of Assembly of the State, but that the appointment of the Chairman and members of the Commission is not listed therein.
He, therefore, asserted that the power to appoint the Chairman and members of the House of Assembly Service Commission lies with the governor, as is the case with the other bodies listed under Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution.
“There is nothing in the Alteration that, by any stretch of imagination, can be inferred to confer the power of appointing the Chairman and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission on the Rivers State House of Assembly, notwithstanding the fact that the law creating the Commission was enacted by the Rivers State House of Assembly”, he said.
The Chief of Staff further argued that the purport of Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution is that the Assembly Service Commission is not an appendage of the legislature but under the control of the State Government, adding that, “Even at the national level, the members of the National Assembly Service Commission are appointed by the President in collaboration with the National Assembly.”