Afor-Opi Diesel Tanker Fire Disaster: Federal Lawmaker Appeals For FG Assistance To Victims

BY BONIFACE OKECHUKWU

The member representing Nsukka/ Igbo-Eze South federal constituency, Hon Chidi Obetta has decried the destruction of shops and goods at Afo-Opi market in Nsukka local government area of Enugu state when a tanker laden with diesel fell and went up in flames along the Opi-Uhehe-9th Mile road in the area.

The newly appointed House of Representatives Budget and Research Committee deputy chairman visited the Afor-Opi market on Sunday to access the extent of destructions done in the market when the tanker conveying diesel fell along the road around the market.

Chairman of the market's traders union, Mr. Eze Linus who briefed Hon. Obetta lamented that over 200 traders were affected while more than 20 shops were destroyed by the diesel tanker inferno.

He stated that millions of naira worth goods, including building materials, electronics, pharmaceutical products, beverages, etc, owned by the various affected traders were destroyed in the fire.

He stated that the operatives of the state fire service though succeeded in putting out the fire, the wrecked havoc in the market.

He particularly raised alarm that lives of thousands of traders in the market, and, other thousands of residents in the entire Opi-Uhehe-9th federal road are in danger because articulated vehicles Ply the road and the road is in a dilapidated state.

"Our Honourable, we are grateful to you for coming to visit us. Our lives in this market are in danger, and, also all the people living along this road because all the big big vehicles, tankers carrying petrol; others carrying items from the North are passing through here because the other road (9th Mile-Opi- Obollo - Oturkpo federal road) is very bad", he stated.

The federal lawmaker who was accompanied on the visit by the chairman of the Labour Party, LP, in Enugu state, Barr Casmir Agbo, director-general of his defunct campaign organisation during the 2023 general election, Hon. Cosmo Agbo and several of his political supporters, appealed to the federal government through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to come to the aid of the victims of the diesel tanker fire disaster.

He re-stated the appeal by the federal lawmakers from Enugu-North senatorial District, urging the federal government to quickly fixed the terribly devastated 9th Mile-Opi Nsukka-Obollo-Oturkpo federal road, as well as the Opi- Ukehe-9th Mile roads to save lives of travellers and residents on the two roads.

He also appealed to the Enugu state government to extend help to the traders affected by the fire.

He promised the victims of the diesel tanker fire incident in Afor-Opi market that he would bring their plight to the federal government through NEMA for a relief material to be sent to them so that they can start life once again.

He also promised he would personally extend a gesture to them through the state chairman of LP, Casmir Agbo to ameliorate the effect of the losses on them.

"I am going to rally all members of the National Assembly from our federal Constituency so that we come to your help so that you can start life afresh. We are not going to leave you alone, this I can assure you", Hon. Obetta promised.

Also speaking the LP chairman in the state urged the federal government to prioritise rehabilitation of the 9th Mile-Opi Nsukka -Obollo Afor- Oturkpo federal road.