The Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ihunwo Chijioke, in a demonstration of political will, has sealed off a cooking gas refilling station in the Cherubim and Seraphim roads around Rumuokuta.
Leading his team to the site following a tip-off, Ihunwo made it very clear that the exercise was not a witch hunt.
He explained that the overall aim is to protect the lives and property of the people of Obio/Akpor local government.
The chief servant of Obio/Akpor added that he is only preventing future occurrences and nothing more.
“Hear him. Let me make it known that I am not doing this because I have a personal quarrel with anyone; all I’m interested in is the safety of our people. You have seen where this gas station is stationed; imagine an explosion and the number of people it will consume because of its closeness to residential houses.”
The Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor local government has also given the owner of the facility a twenty-four-hour notice to dismantle the machine.
He said the council will remove the machine if the owner fails to do so within the stipulated timeframe.
“It is unreasonable for anyone to site this kind of business in a residential area like this; we have sealed off the place while I will instruct the chief security officer of the council to impound the machine. I don’t want to endanger the lives of our people, not for any reason.” Amb. Ihunwo declared.
For reference sake, Ihunwo had on Monday announced the composition of an eleven-member committee to go around the various communities and dismantle all cooking gas refilling points.