By: Felix Ikpotor
There could be another round of fuel scarcity in the city of Port Harcourt and its environs if urgent steps are not taken to rehabilitate the deplorable Eleme section of the East/ West Road in Rivers State.
This is as the state chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has threatened to direct its members to suspend the lifting of petroleum products over the bad state of the road.
IPMAN chairman in the state, Dr. Joseph Obele who issued the threat while reacting to the recent accident along the road involving a trailer carrying a forty feet container which fell on a mini bus and killing eight persons in the process, said the state of the road is now a source of serious concern to the association.
He also issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to commence work on the road or risk another industrial action from the association.
“The deplorable state of the Eleme East West road is now a serious concern to the safety of the people of Rivers State. It is necessary to give an order to petroleum marketers to suspend distribution/lifting of petroleum products to saved lives and properties of Rivers people”.
“Imagine the trailer with container that fell down three days ago on the bad spot of East West road killing about eight passengers in a bus, just imagine if it was a truck of petroleum products.
“I hereby give which ever ministry in charge of the project 14 days to commence actions on the road, otherwise I will call for emergency conference of petroleum marketers to order for the suspension of supply and distribution of petroleum products in Rivers State until that road is fix.
“Rivers people should bear with us, as it is for their own good and the love I have for them,” he said.
