A tanker explosion in Onitsha that affected Up Iweka and Ochanja market area. Following the frequent failure of petroleum tankers in Anambra State, the state government has placed restriction time of movement of vehicles laden with petroleum in the state. The Government also restricted the speed limit of tankers applying the state to 90 kilometres per hour.
According to a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Don Adinuba, Friday, the state government restricted the movement of tankers to between 8pm to 5 am to checkmate incidences of tankers accidents.
“With effect from Saturday, November 2, 2019, such vehicles can be allowed to move within Anambra State from only 8 pm to 5 am. The restriction is to enable agencies like the Anambra State Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Civil Defence the Anambra Traffic Management Agency and indeed all other security, law enforcement and safety agencies to respond effectively and in good time to emergencies created by such accidents which sometimes result in conflagrations, as was the case in Onitsha on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, when a tanker laded with a petroleum product fell on the Enugu-Onitsha Highway and caused a fire that spread up to Ochanja Market through the open drainage” Adinuba said.
According to him, the Anambra government has directed the Police and all other security agencies in the state to religiously enforce the restriction order on the movement of trucks carrying petroleum products . He said the directive was to ensure that such vehicles do not exceed the speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour. “Any violation of either the time restriction order or the speed limit will be punished accordingly. The protection of the life and asset of every person in Anambra State cannot be compromised” he stated. The Commissioner also added that the stakeholders in oil chain business have been urged to bear with the state government on the directive. He appealed to the stakeholders to strictly adhere to this regulation which is in the overriding public interest.