The House of Representatives on Wednesday called for the immediate repaired of the dilapidated Benin-Warri highway which led to the recent fuel tanker explosion that claimed over 20 lives at the Koko Junction in Delta state.

This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon Thomas Ereyitomi during plenary in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Ereyitomi noted that the unfortunate loss of over twenty (20) lives including children and women on Sunday 1st of October 2023, when a fallen tanker laden with Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) exploded at Koko Junction in the Warri-Benin highway in Delta State was worrisome.

He said apart from the deaths recorded, other people sustained different degrees of injuries while over 16 vehicles and 3 motor cycles were destroyed by the inferno;

He further stated that the unfortunate incident will further worsen the plight of road users who already had to cope with massive gridlock occasioned by the dilapidated road; spending days on a journey that should ordinarily not exceed 45 minutes.

“Disturbed that Warri-Benin highway is plagued by significant number of accidents each year, often involving tankers and other heavy duty vehicles which topple over as drivers maneuver failed portions of the road.

“Distressed that with the accident, commuters and motorists will become more exposed to attacks by hoodlums/miscreants who take advantage of such situations to wreck havoc.

“The failed portions of this road has become a death trap for users of the road with little or no remedial efforts from any quarter over a period of time to pose this kind of danger.The House therefore observed a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident; while urging the National Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to immediately send relief materials to affected victims and settle medical bills of those hospitalized.

The House also urged the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to expedite action on the rehabilitation of the Warri-Benin highway and other federal roads around the country with a view to forestalling future occurrence.

It further mandate it’s Committees on Emergency and Disaster Management, works and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.