The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has commenced an enlightenment campaign to discourage the scooping of petrol from crashed tankers in Akwa Ibom State.
Many Nigerians have lost their lives to fuel tanker explosions with the latest in Enugu State, claiming the lives of no fewer than 18 persons.
The Enugu incident followed a similar incident in Niger where more than 80 persons reportedly lost their lives while scooping fuel from crashed tanker.
Addressing journalists in Uyo, on Monday, the state director of NOA, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom urged residents to desist from scooping petrol as it was akin to stealing and was fraught with dangers.
‘Tanker crisis has been a serious concern to the federal government, most especially the after-effects of it because it not only affects the immediate environment but the entire ecosystem and it has caused damage to the economy of this country, and we don’t want it to continue
‘That is why we are talking to people, sensitizing the people that they are dangerous in it. Though the crashes have not happened in Akwa Ibom State, we want to be proactive by advising people to stop scooping and stealing what does not belong to them.
‘We are telling Akwa Ibom people that if it ever happens, please don’t go there. Immediately, you see the product flowing from the tanker, run for your dear life’, he said.
While attributing the outbreak to the lack of sanitation and absence of clean water in the community, the director warned residents against open defecation and poor personal hygiene explaining that cholera could be prevented as it is not an airborne disease.
He advised the people to report any outbreak of disease to the health officials to enable immediate response, adding that “it was the quick intervention by the state government that checked the further spread of the cholera. We want to advise our people against any further outbreak of the disease
‘We have to be cautious especially those living in the coastal communities, the water they drink, sanitation is important when it comes to the issue of cholera.
‘Everyone should have a good toilet system, we have to discourage open defecation and we need to keep where we live clean and we thank the state government for the quick response’, he stated.
He also warned against the indiscriminate location of gas stations in residential areas saying that it poses a danger to the people and urged operators to abide by the guidelines provided by the government.
