The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has called for an investigation into the cause of the oil tanker explosion that occurred along Eleme Road in Rivers State on April 26.
The Second Mate of the Olympus Marino Deck, NAS, made the call on Thursday at a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
The Tide’s source recalls that the explosion claimed the lives of several persons, and caused the loss of property worth millions of Naira.
Nnamdi also alleged that the incident, which was preventable, was caused by the deplorable state of the road and the congestion caused at a nearby police checkpoint.
According to him, the poorly maintained Eleme-Onne Expressway has long been a cause for concern, with its potholes and uneven surfaces creating hazardous conditions for motorists.
The group also called on the relevant arms of government at the State and Federal levels to expedite action on the ongoing repair works or reconstruction of the road.
The group urged the relevant agencies and stakeholders to immediately begin an investigation to determine the cause of the incident to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
It further urged relevant stakeholders to ensure that the police checkpoints on the Eleme axis provide improved traffic management and road safety measures.
“There should be evaluation of the safety standards and practices of tanker operators to ensure compliance with regulations and to identify any areas for improvement in the transportation of hazardous materials”, the group said.
It urged the stakeholders to assess the mitigating impact if an effective emergency firefighting system were located around or along the Eleme-Onne Road since heavy-duty inflammable substance-carrying vehicles used that road daily and frequently.
“The Olympus Marino Deck further demanded for urgent need for improved emergency response systems that are required to ensure rapid and effective response to accidents.
“This includes situating a fire service station around and along that road to be manned by adequately trained personnel.
“The increase in regulatory oversight to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulations by all stakeholders, including tanker operators and road maintenance agencies.
“Safety protocols should also be established to manage traffic flow and prevent congestion near such checkpoints.
“There should be launch of public awareness campaigns to educate motorists about safe driving practices and the importance of adhering to traffic regulations”, the group said.

A 300-level student of Rivers State University (RSU), Calliistus Uzodinma, popularly known as C-Flu, has won the grand prize of N10 million and a brand new Changan CS35 Plus car in the grand finale of the second edition of the reality TV show.
The show, which was held at the prestigious International Conference Centre, Abuja, saw C-Fly beat 16 other finalists, in his exceptional talent dance performances.
Queen Aliyu, a student of Theatre and Performing Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Fortune Onyekachi (Graham), a student of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, secured the first and second runner-up positions, respectively, with both runners-up receiving a cash prize of N2 million each along with other benefits.
The second edition of the BBM Africa reality TV show, themed “Rep Your Campus”, housed 30 talented contestants known as “Dream Mates”.
These participants were carefully selected after a nationwide audition that spanned key cities, including Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano, with a total of 182 universities participating.
Barrister Orbby Agwuncha, aka BossLadyLaw, the Executive Producer of The Big Break Moment Africa, expressed the organisation’s commitment to talent discovery and development, aiming to empower Nigerian youths through the unique platform provided by the reality show.
“We do what we do because we want a better Nigeria. We want our youths to be empowered through talent discovery and development”, said Tayo Folorunsho (Teeflo), the Founder of the Big Break Moment Africa .

Some stakeholders in the Niger Delta have identified collapse in family values and unemployment as factors contributing to the rising level of insecurity in the region.
They also called for value reorientation to stem the rising level of insecurity in the region.
This was part of resolutions at the end of a one-day stakeholders round table on strategies to mitigate youth restiveness, criminality, and violence in Borokiri, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was organised by the Foundation For Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) in conjunction with Centre for Gender, Conflict And Development Studies, University of Port Harcourt.
The stakeholders also called for the creation of employment opportunities for the unemployed youth in the region while skill acquisition centres should also be created in the region to engage the youths in various skills.
Declaring the event open, Capacity Building Coordinator, Peace Building Programme (PIND), Chukwudi Njoku, said the foundation is liaising with various stakeholders to find solutions to restiveness in the region.
Njoku also cautioned against the use of force to seek redress to the problem, adding that any attempt to push the criminals away cannot succeed.
He said PIND is working with some agencies such as the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation to find solutions to the problem.
Reading out the objectives of the forum, Madam Lauretta Ahuokpeme said the aims and objectives of the roundtable forum are to change the mindsets of community youths, build their capacities in peace building and conflicts management and to get commitment of key stakeholders in peace and security advancement in the area
Also speaking, the Commissioner, Ministry of Social Welfare And Rehabilitation, Mrs Inime Aguma, said the Ministry is doing so much in the Borokiri axis of the city in terms of giving youths meaningful lives.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Justina Atonye Jumbo, she said peace cannot thrive in an atmosphere of violence, adding that “peace is something everybody wants to have”.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uchechukwu Uriri, described the level of restiveness as frightening.
Uriri, who represented her Commissioner, Dr. Roseline Uranta, also blamed the situation on get-rich-quick syndrome and failures of families to uphold moral values.
She urged people who are well to do to share what they have with those who do not have.
Secretary of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Barrister Chile Owuru, said security agencies need to step up their activities to check criminalities in the Borokiri axis of the city.
He expressed regrets that some youths in the city have failed to utilise various opportunities put in place by the council to improve themselves.
Some representatives of Communities in Borokiri axis of Port Harcourt, including representatives of security agencies and Non Governmental Organisations, said more need to be done to check youth restiveness in the Borokiri axis of the city.

By: John Bibor