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Deaths Too Avoidable …That Okogbe Tanker Fire Tragedy
Gory, is an under-statement, disastrous a bit close, but hellish is apt to describe the sea of human remains burnt beyond recognition, following the petrol tanker accident of Okogbe, a community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, in South-South Nigeria, last week Thursday
The Tide correspondent in Yenagoa, Fyneface Aaron was one of the first callers and watched with awe as the living counted the dead bodies and pondered how the inferno engulfed even school age-children, mothers, the youth and the aged in the community.
Again, the Golgota was a portion of the death-trap, the national shame known to our collective conscience as the East-West Road, that should have aided easy transportation, not accident of the magnitude, that claimed, on The Tide’s account more than 200 lives, just as Rivers State Health Commissioner, Dr Sampson Parker said he personally counted over 200. Other newspaper publication also variously reported between 90 and 200. In the end, beyond the needless deaths, and destruction, only ‘ifs’ and ‘whys’ remained.
Truly, the incident should not be reason for another blame game, but even as individuals and families who lost loved ones wept and wailed inconsolably, the questions on many lips were: Why would human beings, in 21st Century Nigeria, not appreciate the fatality of scooping Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) commonly called fuel or petrol beside a reasonably heated petrol tanker? Why would adults and kids alike join in such a party? Why did no one inform the security in good time to disperse the petrol scoopers to avoid such national calamity? Why did the petrol tanker cascade, stumble and eventually over-turn the way it did?
The Tide account says, the incident occurred at about 6.30am, when a Hiace bus with registration Number XZ613AGC, Lagos, and loaded with passengers, ran into the rear of aToyota Corrola car with registration Number RQ 218 AAA ,Delta, while attempting to overtake the latter, which driver, at once lost control. Within that brief moment of confusion, approached the ill-fated petrol tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). And in a bid to escape from the ‘out of control’ Toyota Corrola bus and avoid head-on collision, the tanker ran into a deep dish, lost control, tumbled repeatedly and eventually over –turned and spewed its content causing huge volume, substantial enough to rise above an average human’s hip region.
Strangely, upon hearing of the accident and the gushing PMS from the tanker, villagers in and around the accident scene, including school children, who should be in their classrooms, hurried to the area with containers of various sizes and colours. And fetch they were doing when fire erupted like hell.
Although, the cause of the fire still remains fuggy, a source suggested that an early comer who was overwhelmed by the measure of the ‘free fuel’ put a call across to his friend to join in the party, at which time, the inferno allegedly started and within minutes, engulfed the scene, leaving more than 200 burnt beyond recognition while, a few made it to the hospital and are under critical care. What a shame!
Apparently moved by the needless deaths, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan ordered relief materials to reach survivors and families whose homes were ravaged, while Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi directed that a full investigation be conducted to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the unfortunate accident.
Amidst all the concerns thus far expressed, there remains many more ‘ifs’ and ‘whys’ to which the Nigerian state needs to proffer sincere answers? The first and very nagging is, if the villagers were not living below poverty line and without little or no access to proper education would scooping fuel from a gulf beside a steamingly hot petrol tanker be such an attraction? Which son of say, a minister, National Assembly member or even council chairman, will consider that venture a profitable one and join such a party?
If the East-West Road were what it ought to be , many years after it was ordered, would the petrol tanker run into such gulf, deep enough to contain PMS of the volume that is about hip level? If the Hiace bus XZ613 AGC, Lagos, loaded with passengers, had been patient, knowing the poor state of the East-West Road and not attempted to over-take the Toyota Corrola RQ218 AAA,Delta at the time and manner it did , would the accident not have been avoided?
If the Petrol Tanker itself, had not been speeding, at a portion as bad as the accident scene of the East-West Road, would it have had too much problem applying the brakes? If our federal ways traffic monitoring system were as effective as should be, and got to the scene long before the hungry and uneducated villagers got there, would they not have had the opportunity to prevent some deaths? Where were officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission and how effective is their communication system?
Most importantly, knowing the importance of the East-West Road to the oil bearing states and communities of the Niger Delta and considering the length of years it has remained at the construction stage, why were remedial measures not taken by the contractors to avoid such deep gulfs? If half the attention given to Abuja roads expansion is given the East-West road, will it be where it is today?
Honest answers to these questions will very easily affirm that the more than 200 Nigerians who perished in Okogbe, Rivers State would perhaps have lived beyond that day. But the question is will the deaths add to the need to act or simply end with the now familiar condolences and assurances of succour for survivors. What of the next set of potential casualties.
In other parts of the world, dangerous portions of major roads start with bold traffic signs, warning motorists to move within given speed limits and actually station officials to monitor compliance.
If that was the case, and if the communication system was as it should be, not only would the accident be avoided, through timely calls for immediate help, enough security presence would have dissuaded many from the petrol scooping party.
This is why the Okogbe deaths are as needless as thousands others daily caused by bombings now generally believed to have been carried out by the extremist Islamist terror group-Boko Haram. This one must attract more than more condolence and assurances of relief materials to survivors.
The East West Road should now be declared as a national emergency that requires emergency measures of the extreme kind. It is no longer acceptable that a road as vital as the East-West Road, through which petroleum products are conveyed from the Niger Delta to other remote parts of Nigeria could be allowed to drag on for as long as it has. It is not proper that the main link-way between the East and the Oil producing South-South, depended upon for movement of goods and passengers, be left in such a state, without remedial measures to check accidents of the kind reported of, last week Thursday.
In fact, this also poses a major challenge to managers of the present administrations poverty alleviation programme and exposes, in more graphic ways the level of poverty in some Southern parts of the country.
However, sad as the deaths may appear, it may be a dangerous generalisation to impute that the villagers that went fetching petrol as many would, from a stream, did so out of hunger, illiteracy, ignorance and want. Some others might have done so out of greed and insatiable taste.
How, for instance can, say, a welder, commercial vehicle driver, trader and indeed averagely educated Nigerian fail to appreciate the danger in such enterprise. But the dead is often innocent, and the true answers might have burnt with their fabled remains.
But the Okogbe tragedy should serve as a lesson to all others who many be considering enlistment into illegal bunkering commonly called, ‘kpo-fire’, a process whereby stolen crude is crudely refined through excessive heat powered by intense fire. Many have died in the process but many more continue to enlist because of the quick gains allegedly derivable from the illicit trade.
Unfortunately, many Nigerians are guilty of silence, the Army, the Police, the ordinary Nigerians, the Navy, governments and indeed the Nigerian leadership. By their silence and or half-measures, what started as petty theft of merely bursting petroleum pipelines has grown into conglomerates, with chains of illegal refineries that are dotted around Niger Delta swamps. And everyone seems indifferent while, human lives are daily lost and Nigeria’s economic mainstay perpetually threatened.
Our silence has inadvertently legalised illegal bunkering and encouraged petrol sale on our roads, villages and even residential homes, a worthy occupation.
This is why the Okogbe incident must not end with mere condolences but attract proactive measures necessary to complete all works along the East West Road, institutionalise better road accidents monitoring and prevention and above all, build a more pro-life posture in disaster management.
My Agony is that year after year the excuses for non-completion of the East West Road remain the same: inadequate funds and heavy rains. But if and when it is dry and such funds are released, the contractors use same opening which dry seasons offer to face, in their estimation, more important and urgent works, only to blame the rains for their incompetence.
Methinks, unless the East West Road is made a national emergency and faced as such, there is no telling which disaster shall be next. But may the souls of the departed rest in peace, although, I don’t know how.
Soye Wilson Jamabo
President Jonathan And Governor Amaechi
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.