Petroleum Tanker Drivers operating around the Ibafon-Ibru end of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway have called on the Federal Government to terminate the contract of the on-going road construction of the expressway and hand it over to another contractor.
This demand came last week following a tanker fire accident that was averted at the tank farm after a petroleum truck laden with 33,000 liters of premium motor spirit ran into a pot hole while trying to maneuver its way out of the depot.
Petroleum Tanker Drivers operating around the Ibafon-Ibru end of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway have called on the Federal Government to terminate the contract of the on-going road construction of the expressway and hand it over to another contractor.
This demand came last week following a tanker fire accident that was averted at the tank farm after a petroleum truck laden with 33,000 liters of premium motor spirit ran into a pot hole while trying to maneuver its way out of the depot.
Shipping Position Daily gathered that the truck which had loaded product from one of the numerous tank farms within the Ibru jetty upturned, spilling some of its contents on the expressway.
Subsequently, motorists heading inwards Apapa were delayed for several hours while a team of fire fighters and fire equipment from all the tank farms were all on standby to prevent the truck from exploding.
Speaking with our correspondent after the near explosion was contained, tanker drivers took time to express their grievances, particularly on their plight, which they alleged was caused mainly by the dilapidated roads in Lagos state.
A driver; Nurudeen Adewale who is the public relation officer of the Acorn Depot unit of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of NUPENG confirmed to Shipping Position Daily that the tanker accident occurred as a result of the dilapidated road along the axis.
According to him, the incident which occurred close to a tank farm where loading of fuel was going on would have resulted into a national disaster which could have claimed hundreds of lives.
Also speaking on the incident, a fuel marketer, Mr. Fidel Aisuodinne said that the explosion occurred close to a tank farm loading PMS.
According to him, the Federal Government should hasten to finish the construction of the ‘Coconut bus stop’ axis of the road by encouraging the contractor with more funds, or it should rather sack the contractor and employ a more competent construction company.
“If you come to Coconut area, the contractor of that axis is moving with snail speed, there is a lot of pot holes on the roads that is giving us problems, after loading from the depot, the trucks find it difficult to maneuver out of the area”, he stated.
“Government should hasten up on the construction of the Apapa Oshodi expressway by mobilizing the contractor with more funds, if not; they should give the job to another person”
According to him, there is urgent need to address the roads and put palliative measures at the various portions of the roads that are currently bad.
Going further, Fidel narrated that, “this very accident happened because, the rain that fell on the previous day has covered the big pot hole, unknowing to the driver, he fell inside it, it took the effort of all the depots and their firefighting equipment to prevent the incident from degenerating”.
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