Hon. Festus Ovie Agas, Secretary to the Delta State Government (middle), Mr. Vincent Uduaghan, Commissioner for Transport (right) and Arthur Akpowowo, Special Adviser to Governor Uduaghan on Security.

By Francis Sadhere

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state on Saturday inaugurated a Task Force for the decongestion of Petroleum Tankers from the NPA expressway, Warri Refinery and its environs.

Over the years Petroleum Tankers have continued to park indiscriminately,  posing grave dangers on the live and property around the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and its environs.

Inaugurating the Task Force at the Governor’s Office Annex, Warri, the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Hon, Festus Ovie Agas who represented Governor Okowa, said the state government decided to establish the task force to forestall further lost of lives and property caused by the activities of tanker drivers in the area.

He said, “The indiscriminate parking of tankers along the NPA Expressway, Warri Refinery and environs and Ubeji-Ifie Road have posed dangers to lives and and motorists and have resulted to various accident that have claimed liver and property worth millions of naira.”

The terms of reference given to the Task Force include, identifying causes of the congestion of petroleum tankers in the area and proffer solutions to eliminate, ensure that petroleum tankers and other articulated vehicle are not parked around the areas mention.

The Task Force is also to work out suitable traffic management scheme on major routes leading area, designate where petroleum tankers waiting to lift products are to park, collaborate with the tank farm owners and PPMC to work out modalities for orderly lifting of petroleum product in Warri and environs.

Other terms of reference include, ensuring that criminal elements do not hide under the cover of petroleum tankers to commit crime in the area and to make appropriate recommendations to eliminate future congestion.

While calling on the Task Force to bring their experiences to bear in the assignment to the satisfaction of all Deltans, Okowa said the state government will provide them with the necessary support to do their work.

He said, “Government shall continue to provide the enabling environment for everyone to carry out his or her business and on this note, I call upon members call upon members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers to fully co-porate with the Taskforce.”

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Transport, Vincent Uduaghan said that government had to set up the Task Force after series of meetings to decongest the area has failed due to “the recalcitrant attitude of the drivers and absence of enforcement.”

“Children have to leave their homes before 6am to school and return back sometimes after 8pm because of difficulty in getting through the traffic. Also the security risk posed by these tankers cannot be overlooked,” Uduaghan noted.

Uduaghan revealed that the state government is currently holding discussions with private sectors who have indicated interest in the construction of ultra-modern tankers/trailer park at strategic locations across the state.

The Task force is headed by the Warri Area Commander, ACP Mohammed Mu’azu.

It would be recalled that, three weeks ago, several petroleum tankers were destroyed in a fire outbreak at the Ekpan Tankers Park near the Warri Refinery in Uvwie Local Government Area of the State.