The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Akwa Ibom State has expressed concern over rampant fuel tanker accidents, warning that although the state is yet to record such incident, residents should prevent such to safeguard their lives.
NOA warned against scooping fuel from fallen tankers, noting the recent explosions from similar incidents resulting in loss of lives.
Addressing Journalists at the Correspondents’ Arena of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, NOA Director, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom also blamed some of the accidents on drunk – driving, and urged road safety officials to step up monitoring and enforcement of road safety rules.
Blaming what he described as criminal obsession by residents who, without serious concerns for their lives for the death of fuel scoopers in states where the recent tanker explosions occurred, Mkpoutom, appealed to residents to be conscious of the associated dangers of being burnt by highly inflammable Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Similarly, the agency has launched mass sensitisation, education and enlightenment programme against cholera, warning residents to imbibe high level of safety measures against the scourge.
The warning followed recent cholera outbreak that killed about a dozen people including children, teenagers and an elderly woman in Emeroke, a coastal community in Eastern Obolo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
The campaign also frowned at indicriminate siting of commercial Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or cooking gas outlets in residential building as cases of gas explosions have been reported recently in the state.
Mkpoutom explained that the sensitisation exercise has become necessary to warn unsuspecting residents against avoidable death.
Mkpoutom also appealed to residents of coastal communities against open defecation into water bodies, noting that water as a major means of transport that has the capacity to ferry the particles and spread the ailments to other far places.
He, therefore, charged the people especially the rural dwellers to ensure building toilets and boreholes, and avoid defecation in water bodies.
