Commercial transporters and commuters plying the busy East-West axis of Ohoror town, Ughelli North Council Area of Delta State have raised concern over safety their lives, as indiscriminately parked oil tankers blocked entire stretched of the town.
The motorists noted that unless Government proactively evacuates and relocate the oil tankers to other less busy area of East-West, carnage was imminent.
Chief Clement Tikpa, an opinion leader in Bomadi Community and a regular commuter explaining his experience, cautioned drivers coming from Bomadi to Ohoror to be very careful before negotiating to the East-West road.
He noted that the entire view, left and right in Ohoror junction leading to Bomadi are always blocked by packed oil tanker and stressed that drivers have to move deep into the main highway of the East-West road to see if ther is any fast approaching vehicle, before turning right to the East-West road. The situation Chief Tikpa warned if urgent steps not taken by the State government was flashpoint for fatal road accident.
According to him, the hazards posed by these oil tankers goes beyond colossal road accidents but also indicative of infernos, explosion, spillage, degradation of the environment and exposure of the less-previllege and vulnerable gender to be lured by the tanker drivers into commercial sex activities.
He recounted a fire incidents in Ohoror mid last year where unspecified goods, vehicles and property in millions went on flame as a result of an electrical fault from oil tanker which rage he said, was later extinguished by fire-fighter.
Also, a transporter plying Warri-Portharcourt Mr Jude Ochoro who spoke to newsmen at Ughelli called on the Federal, State and Local Government Area authorities to quickly evacuate the tankers from the Ohoror communty.
He alleged that the Ohoror community President-General and the Youth body do not care of the potential danger the parked oil tankers posed to motorists due to financial gains. He also accused the Ughelli North Council leadership of keeping a blind eye due to the revenue it derives from the tanker drivers.
Ochoro urged Oborevwori to listen to the calls of the road users and look for an alternative venue as oil tankers park.
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