President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of a mother and her child as a result of an oil tanker accident in Onitsha, in Anambra State.
Reacting to the incident on Wednesday, President Buhari said: “I am profoundly touched by the sight of the charred remains of an innocent mother and her child who are victims of this tragedy.”
According to the President, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu, “I also extend my sympathies to other victims of the explosion whose houses, shops and other property were destroyed in the mishap.”
The President explained that, “while I express sadness over this tragedy, I must at the same time call for urgent action on the part of those concerned to stem these frequent fatal disasters on public roads.”
According to him, “safety precautions and routine maintenance are taken for granted by vehicle owners.”
“I call on the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders to urgently address the issue of safety standards in the country, with a view to stemming the embarrassing frequency of these tragedies”, the President added.