It was an unpleasant experience for most motorists and passengers who plied the popular Ikwerre Road early yesterday morning, following the breakdown of a petroleum tanker belonging to Sobaz petroleum at Rumuowkuta in Port Harcourt.
The fuel tanker breakdown which generated serious traffic as early as 8:30am and lasted for about one hour, sources implied may have broken down at the spot the previous night.
Indications of serious hold up on Ikwerre road didn’t emerge immediately as passengers embarked on their trip from Rumuokoro and Rumuigbo axis until most commercial vehicles got to the Rumuokwuta roundabout and discovered heavy traffic ahead.
Majority of the people on the road, mostly students, workers and business men complained bitterly as the traffic hold up kept them on a spot for close to an hour. But, when National Network visited the spot where the fuel tanker had broken down, right in front of Sobaz filling station, there were auto mechanics working frantically to get to the roots of the mechanical fault in the tanker.
Similarly, it was discovered that within 15 minutes, the breakdown had resulted in major incident of traffic chaos that stretch close to Agip and Mile 4 axis. This in turn led to efforts by officers and men of the Kala Divisional Police Station who promptly responded by deploying officers to ameliorate the situation. The officers shared themselves to strategic locations which include Whimpey, Market Junction, among others, apart from effectively manning the front of their station. This led to traffic being diverted from the opposite lane where the tanker fell and motorists were seen sharing a lane, amidst haste by majority to leave the troubled spot.
Additionally, a Road Safety Traffic Marshall was sighted at the other end of the Market Junction trying to ensure a free flow of the traffic on the road.
Consequently, commuters who were curious to get to their destinations blamed the truck driver and the management of the filling station for not taking prompt action to fix the mechanical faults in the tanker. Others lamented the gridlock saying it had contributed to the loss of man hour and unexpected disappointments for many who had to catch up with one appointment or the other.
But, in a telephone conversation with the Public Enlightenment Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mike John, he stated that the public is expected to make use of emergency lines that could lead to prompt removal of any vehicular breakdown on the road. And he was quick to add that, the FRSC would not be responsible for the removal of petroleum tankers on the road, as it is the responsibility of PENGASSAN to assist in the removal.
Mike John used the opportunity to inform that the public should dial its emergency line, which is 122, in the event of emergency on the road calling for the intervention of the FRSC.
