Representative Felix Uche of Rivers State has pointed to the sluggish progress of the East-West road construction as a contributing factor to the fatalities in the recent tanker accident in Port Harcourt.
During a session on Tuesday, Uche emphasized that the leisurely pace of road construction led to motorists being trapped when the fire broke out.
He noted, “The vehicles caught in the blaze were stranded in a standstill with no means of retreat or evasion.”
Uche highlighted the tardiness of the contractor, Messers Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), despite the road’s critical significance.
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, had previously voiced similar reservations about the incident.
Consequently, the legislative body decided to instruct RCC Ltd to establish an alternative route to facilitate commuter movement during construction.
Furthermore, the House directed the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure RCC accelerates the road construction to expedite completion.