The national secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has extended its condolences to the families, friends, and communities affected by the tragic petroleum truck accident at Dikko Junction, Gurara Local Government Area, Niger State, over the weekend.
In a statement jointly signed by Comrades Williams Akporeha and Olawale Afolabi, NUPENG’s President and General Secretary, respectively, the union expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, destruction of properties, and injuries sustained in the devastating incident.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones during this traumatic and challenging time,” the statement read.
NUPENG also called on the Federal Government to urgently repair federal roads, which it identified as a contributing factor to such accidents.
It further urged the government to direct its relevant agencies to raise public awareness about the dangers of scooping fuel at accident scenes.
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The statement added: “The union takes this opportunity to urgently appeal to the Federal Government to repair bad roads to prevent such incidents and to intensify efforts in sensitising the public about the dangers of scooping fuel from accident scenes involving petroleum trucks on highways.
“As a responsible organization, NUPENG collaborates annually with relevant agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Police, and State Traffic Management agencies, to train our drivers on road safety. The union is committed to continuously training and retraining our members on best driving and safety practices.
“We stand in solidarity with the affected families and the entire Dikko community in Niger State. We commend the emergency responders who bravely extinguished the fire and rescued many injured victims.
“We urge all relevant authorities to provide the necessary support and medical care to those injured and to take measures to prevent future tragedies.
“May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may their families find the strength to bear these irreparable losses.”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE