Follow Us on Google
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Following a fire outbreak which involved petrol tankers at Tafa town, in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna state, Governor Nasir el-Rufai, has ordered tanker drivers from packing by the highways which runs through Abuja, Kaduna and Zaria.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2017, resulted in the death of six people and left 14 with various degrees of injuries.
A house and several shops were burnt when a trailer conveying petroleum products caught fire in the area.
The governor arrived the scene around 6:30pm, in company with Nuhu Goro Shadalafiya, member representing Kagarko Constituency in the House of Assembly and other government officials. He condoled the community and assured them of government’s commitment to complete the Tafa trailer park.
El-rufai insisted that tanker drivers must stop parking on the highway as soon as the trailer park lot in Maraban Jos, Zaria and Tafa axis are completed.
He also visited the site of the trailer parking sitebeing constructed in Tafa. The governor charged the contractor to speed up work and complete the project, to end perennial dangers posed by trailers parked on the highway.
“It is unfortunate and painful but, we will redouble our commitment to end this menace. We have been doing our best and have insisted that trailers must leave the highway because parking on the road is risky to our citizens.
“I assure you that they will soon leave, once we are done with the construction of the garage. We are equally doing the same thing in Maraban Jos, along Kaduna-Zaria highway.
“We can’t allow this menace to persist while putting the lives of our citizens on the line.
“We also need cooperation and support of Tafa and Maraban Jos communities; they must understand that we are not against them but only discharging our responsibility, to shield them from danger.
“We will come up with same plan throughout the state, where there is need to ensure stiff punishment for anyone that goes contrary to the law and order. We will not compromise our responsibility to protecting lives and properties of Kaduna citizens. And so, we must all accept the reality before us,” said el-Rufai.
