Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adelabu (right) sympathizers at the scene of the petrol tanker accident which claimed seven lives in Aramoko Ekiti. With the deputy governor (from left) are: the General Manager of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Femi Osasona, Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Oluwole Apalara Adewumi and the Alara of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba Olu Adeyemi.
Town planners and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) got a wake-up call from Ekiti State government. They were told to prevent encroachment into road setbacks/ Right of Way (ROW) and ensure road worthiness for all vehicles plying Nigerian roads.
The charges followed the death of seven people in the petrol tanker fire that destroyed three buildings and four cars in Aramoko-Ekiti on Tuesday. Two storey buildings and a bungalow were razed by the fire triggered by the tanker ferrying 33,000 litres of petrol. The truck fell on its side and emptied its contents after it allegedly skidded off the road
after a break failure.
Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, who was at the scene to commiserate with the community and for an on-the-spot assessment urged the people to refrain from building houses too close to the highway to forestall reoccurrence.
According to her, trading or living in structures built on ROW and driving faulty vehicles portend dangers for both the residents and the road users.
She, however, appealed to residents against taking the laws into their own hands but to remain calm and avoid actions that could further throw the community into grief, assuring that remedial measures would immediately be taken by the state government.
The deputy governor who could not hide her emotion and grief described the incident as quite unfortunate and advised relatives of those who lost their lives to put their hope in God who could comfort them.
Mrs Adelabu said speed breakers will be put on sloppy areas on the Itawure-Ado-Ekiti stretch of the road as a temporary measure while the state government dialogues with the Federal Government – owner of the road on how to provide a permanent solution to the challenges on the road.
Adelabu appealed to the people, particularly the youths, not to go on rampage because of the incident but to find a way of consoling relatives of the victims and give them necessary assistance that will help them overcome their grief.
The deputy governor who later paid a condolence visit to the palace of the Alara of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba Olu Adegoke Adeyemi advised road users, especially tanker drivers to always put their vehicles in proper order before putting then on roads to reduce the carnages they often cause on roads.
Responding, the Alara of Aramoko, Oba Olu Adeyemi expressed appreciation to the government for identifying with his community in its moment of grief.
He appealed to the state government to help the community find a lasting solution to the incessant road mishap in the town as a result of the many bends on the major highway that passed through the town.
The monarch urged the Federal Government to revisit the abandoned bye-pass that would take inter-state traffic away from the town.
Oba Adeyemi also frown at the abuse of building approval and town planning laws by developers.
Last modified: February 12, 2014
