Rivers Tanker Inferno: Umahi Absolves Road Construction Firm, Blames Drivers

The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi has exonerated Renolds Construction Company (RCC) Nigeria of negligence for the tanker fire incident that led to loss of lives recently in Rivers State.

Umahi, while also sympathising with the families of those involved in the incident, however blamed the recklessness of the two drivers for the inferno, and called for enhanced enforcement of driving rules and road safety checks, especially regarding drivers of heavy-duty vehicles.

The minister who stated this in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media, Barr Orji Uchenna Orji, commended the construction firm, saying contrary to insinuations, the construction work in the area was recording quality progress.

He stated, “The RCC, they are trying, they are doing well. But my visit is going to ensure that they open the construction in a number of sections. That is what they must have to do. But the quality of what they are doing is quite commendable. But they must listen to us and open the construction. Whether they are delaying or not delaying has nothing to do with the accident.”

The Minister, insisted that it was the recklessness of the two drivers that caused the avoidable disaster.

“My sympathy goes to all the families of the victims of the inferno for the unfortunate and irrecoverable loss of their loved ones. And then, to the government and people of Rivers State, I extend my sympathy to them. When somebody is dead, we are no longer talking about who is responsible,” Umahi said.

The minister further condemned the statement credited to the President-General of Ogoni Youth Foundation, Dr Legborsi Yamaabana, blaming the Federal Government and RCC Nigeria Ltd for the unfortunate incident.

Yamaabana had blamed the ongoing road rehabilitation as the cause of the inferno and even threatened to drag the Federal Government and the construction firm to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for negligence.

Umahi described the statement as a misrepresentation of facts “as confirmed reports and eye witnesses’ accounts showed that it was a case of drivers’ recklessness and impatience that caused the sad incident”.

He recalled that President Bola Tinubu saw the terrible state of the road when he assumed power and directed that work should be started to rehabilitate it.

“Not as usual, but that the road should be redesigned. Apart from Benin to Warri and a part of Lokoja to Benin, there’s no other section of the road in this country that this kind of construction is going on,” the minister said.

He continued “The ongoing 15-kilometer dualised road with six lanes is about the heaviest traffic road in the country. And so, because the soil is bad, we are digging about one meter. We are filling with lumps about half a meter. We are filling with sharp sand about half a meter. We are filling with stone base, eight inches. We are putting four inches, another stone base mixed with 5% cement. And then we are now putting eight inches reinforced concrete pavement. The idea of Mr. President is that this should last for a minimum of 100 years, considering the load that it’s carrying,” Engr Umahi stressed.

In her earlier brief, the Ag Federal Controller of Works in charge of Rivers State, Engr. Enwereama Tarilade, said the incident was a case of collision between a tanker truck carrying petroleum products with a trailer driver.

She noted that the drivers were competing for a right of way in a heavy traffic along a section of the ongoing reconstruction of the 15km section of the East-West Road Section III – Eleme Junction-Onne Port in Rivers State being handled by the construction company about 8pm on Friday, 26th April 2024.

She expressed her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident.