PDP Reacts To Onitsha Tanker Explosion, Attacks Anambra Govt

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra chapter, has slammed Governor Willie Obiano’s administration for “paying lip service” to issues of public safety in the state after a petrol tanker caused fire disaster in Onitsha, the state’s commercial hub on Wednesday.

No official casualty figure has been released following the tanker explosion, but eyewitness said the incident claimed the lives of a mother and her child, and destroyed properties around the area

Reacting to the incident through its spokesperson, Nnamdi Nwangwu, the Anambra PDP described the incident as unfortunate.

The party regretted that the Anambra State Fire Service was handicapped and had to rely on help from firefighters from neighbouring Delta state to help victims of the disasters.

The PDP, while warning the Obiano-led administration against playing politics with the lives of Anambra citizens, recalled that the governor had recently commissioned a fleet of fire fighting vehicles in the state.

“Not long ago, a fleet of fire fighting vehicles were allegedly commissioned by the state government but it’s worrisome that whenever there is incidence of fire outbreak, the vehicles would not be seen anywhere around the scene.

“When a fire incident happened in front of Dennis Memorial grammar School (DMGS) in the same Onitsha few months ago, it was the same Delta State fire fighters that rose to the occasion.

“The same thing repeated itself in Wednesday’s tanker fire, a very big market and many other private investments were consumed.

“This is totally ridiculous and unacceptable, the primary responsibility of any responsible government is protection of lives and properties of her citizens, any government that fails in this regard cannot be said to be working,” said the party.