The Senator Representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator T.A. Orji earlier this morning visited the scenes of the pipeline explosion that occurred in the early hours of yesterday in Umuimo and Umuaduru villages in Osisioma Ngwa LGA of Abia State.
Speaking, the Senator described the incident as most unfortunate and sympathized with the families of the victims. Senator Orji noted that he came to sympathize with the entire Osisioma Ngwa LGA not just the immediate community describing the people of the LGA as so dear to him.
Senator Orji expressed sadness over the loss of lives and properties through the unfortunate incident and attributed the cause of the inferno to negligence on the side of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and prayed God to console the families of those that lost their loved ones while also praying for the quick recovery of those who sustained various degrees of injuries, assuring that he would quickly swing into action by reporting the incident to the relevant Federal Government Agencies for their immediate intervention.
He charged the Security operatives to be diligent in their duties and condemned in it’s entirety the action of some security operatives who were allegedly involved in collecting money from the people who were scooping fuel from the leaking petroleum pipes before the disaster.
Senator T.A Orji who later visited one of the survivors, Mr. Ifeanyi Ndubuisi Okechukwu at his residence in Okpokoroala village, prayed for his fast recovery while he gave a handsome financial assistance for his treatment.
Earlier while taking the Senator round the scenes of the pipeline explosion, the Executive Chairman of Osisioma Ngwa LGA, Chief Iheyinna Mgbeahuru, said the explosion was due to leakages from the NNPC pipelines in the area explaining that it was not caused as a result of pipeline vandalization as being speculated by some media outfits. He blamed the inferno to the negligence of the NNPC management whom he said has written several occasions on the leaking pipelines.
According to the Osisioma Ngwa LGA boss, the activities of the NNPC depot in the area, posse a serious threat to the lives of the people living around council and thanked Senator T. A Orji for coming to condole with the Council.
Contributing, the Immediate passed Member Representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ikechukwu Nwabeke, Eze Ikechukwu Chiavoghilefu and Chief Ogechi Chilee, thanked Senator Orji for coming to sympathize with them describing him as a father and friend and a man with human feeling. They noted that the date toll would have greatly increased if not for the eight (8) health care centres Senator Orji built for the LGA when he was the Governor of the state, were the victims were first taken for first aid treatment.
They stated that Senator Orji through this, had once again demonstrated that he is part and parcel of the LGA nothing that they would reciprocate with their prayers for him and their massive votes for him in his reelection bid come 2019.
