BY: Nick Nwaneri, Calabar
The chairman of Akpabuyo local government council areà of Cross River State, Hon. Emmanuell Offiong Bassey, has decried incessant killing of indigenes of the area as well as other Nigerians by larfage trucks.
Larfage is a private company producers of Unicem cement in Akpabuyo local area of the state.
Over 50 people including children and their mothers have been killed by reckless drivers along the road.
This ugly development has reached an alarming rate which calls for caution and compensation from the4 company.
He urged truck drivers to always drive with care and observe all safety measures in order to avert ugly situations on the road
The chairman made call when he paid a condolence visit to the family of little Iquo Okon Edet Offiong, a seven year old primary one pupil from Ikot Effanga.
She was killed by a truck carrying larfage product along Ikot Effanga road in Akpabuyo local government area recently..
Bassey promised that as the council chairman, he would follow up the matter to the later, pleading with everyone to be calm as the government is already on the matter
He thanked the people of the community especially the youths for not taking the laws into their hands even at the highest provocation
The councilor representing the council ward (Effanga Offiong ward) Hon. Elijah Effanga Effiom, lamented the killing of little Iquo Okon Edet whose destiny has been terminated by truck carrying larfage product,.
He said,” these larfage trucks have been killing people on this road, in the last few months they have killed over 20 .ur people”
Effiom, attributed most of the killings to recklessness of the truck drivers whom he said are always over speeding on a one lane road
“These truck drivers are always running above speed limit such that if it happens,they always find it difficult to control and avert what would have been averted ordinarily”
He advised that some level of safety measures should be put in place, like reflectors and also keep the drivers in checks while also advocating for a particular controllable speed limit for these truck drivers
The grandfather of the girl who is also the community leader, Chief Edet Offiong Effiom, lamented the lost of his granddaughter.
He said “though it has happened this way, he can not blame God, neither can any amount will equal some one’s life, but call on the company to show faith with the family by way5 of compensation”
Chief Effiom also advised truck drivers against recklessness and over speeding which he said were not necessary in such a small road.
They should also consider other road users and even school children.
