APC urges FRSC to end gridlock on Rivers road

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to be more proactive with measures to ensure the free flow of traffic on the busy Eleme axis of the East-West Road, Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The party stated that the FRSC and the Eleme Local Government authorities should work together to check for truck double parking, while noting that the recent tanker explosion which claimed lives and destroyed several cars was preventable.

Chief Tony Okocha, the State APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, made the call during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Friday.

He stated, “I will use this moment in my position as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State extend our deepest regrets over the incident of the tanker fire which occurred in Eleme last Friday.

“Eleme is a local government in Rivers State housing multinationals and local companies in the state and Nigeria. You can very well describe Eleme as an industrial hub of Nigeria. We have the Nigeria Ports Authority located in Onne, one of the adjourning communities in Eleme.

“As you have seen, the site was a gory one, very terrible. We were told that two trucks were trying to outwit the other, which caused the problem that led to the fire.”

Okocha added that President Bola Tinubu, as a compassionate person had wished that the carnage never happened, even as he condoled with the families of those who lost dear loved ones and other victims who lost properties in the explosion.

“As a political party led by a leader, the President, who is very compassionate, he wished that that incident never happened. But because man is not God, it has happened.

“And I wish to add my voice to the calls, and sympathies expressed by Mr President through both the Minister of Works who has also visited the venue and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who is our leader in Rivers State.

“We are deeply in sympathy to those who became circumstantial victims. It is our prayer and grace that God in His infinite mercies and grace will help them out of their dungeon and take them up again,” he added.

However, he expressed his displeasure with drivers’ attitudes, particularly those of truck drivers who are constantly rushing and attempting to outsmart one another, stating that such behavior needs to be addressed.

“I want to do it fast, and you don’t keep to rules. The roads are not completely blocked. If the Federal Government because of the construction of the road had decided to block the road, they would say oh these people are wicked.

“But they still believe that there is a reason to grant access. People should go their own way smoothly and let the other go. What we should be advising is that at some point on that road, you will see trucks packed, perhaps to take one thing or the other from the Indorama Petrochemical Company.

He added, “The FRSC should be proactive and ensure that there is what they call wrong packing. It should be checked. When vehicles do double parking, it makes movement difficult. So both the federal government via the FRSC and the local government should be proactive so that such a tragedy doesn’t befall our people again,”.