From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Olympus Marino Deck of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, has called for a deep investigation on the recent tanker explosion that occured along the Eleme axis of the East-West in Rivers State.
The Second Mate, Olympus Marino Deck, Ilochi Nnamdi, made the call when he spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
He said: “The incident was a preventable catastrophe exacerbated by the deplorable state of the road and the congestion caused by 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 called on the relevant arms of government at the federal and state levels to expedite action on the ongoing repair works or reconstruction of the road and to launch an immediate investigation to determine the cause of the incident to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Nnamdi noted the need to “determine the role of the police checkpoint in contributing to the congestion that led to the accident or its escalation, to provide for improved traffic management and road safety measures at such checkpoints.”
He also noted the need for
“evaluating 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.”
He said there was need for “assessing the mitigating impact if an effective emergency firefighting system were located around or along the Eleme-Onne road because heavy-duty inflammable substance-carrying vehicles ply that road frequently daily.”
The Olympus Marino Deck further demands 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.”
NAS also demanded for “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 be established to manage traffic flow and prevent congestion near such checkpoints; the launching of public awareness campaigns to educate motorists about safe driving practices and the importance of adhering to traffic regulations.”
It would be recalled that the accident which occurred on April 26, 2024, claimed the lives of scores of persons, and caused the loss of property worth millions of Naira.