The Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State has expressed grief over the tragic auto crash that occurred at the Imo State University, IMSU junction, Owerri, where at least 8 people reportedly lost their lives, while many sustained various degrees of injuries.
The unfortunate event, according to eyewitness account occurred, when a heavy duty truck lost control and rammed into commuters, buses and passers-by who it crushed instantly.
The PDP, in a release signed by Lancelot-Obiaku, Director General, Imo PDP New Media, while commiserating with families of the deceased, took a swipe at the Hope Uzodinma APC-led administration for negligence and insensitivity to the basic needs of the people that culminated in the comatose state of the health sector and lack of necessary equipments and facilities for addressing emergency situations as and at when necessary.
The release dated May, 19, 2024, with the caption, “Fatal Crash: Uzodimma’s Government Irresponsible, Callous, And Has No Regard For Human Life”, reads, “the People’s Democratic Party in Imo State is saddened by last Saturday’s tragic auto crash at IMSU junction, Owerri, that claimed at least eight (8) lives and left scores seriously wounded.
The unfortunate event happened when a truck lost control and rammed into commuter buses and passers-by, crushing them.
Imo PDP commiserates with families of the deceased and prays God gives them the fortitude to bear the painful loss of their loved ones whose precious lives were cut short in such a gruesome manner. The party also wishes those who sustained various degrees of injury and are hospitalized quick recovery.
The truth is that the loss of these precious souls could have been avoided if the right things were done. And it is particularly disheartening that in the middle of the storm, all emergency sectors in the State fell flat.
At about 7:30 pm when the accident occurred, there was no emergency rescue operation from the State government. It took an individual, Chidiebube Okeoma, alongside a few others, seeing that no help was forthcoming, to take the victims to the hospital in their private cars. No ambulance or anything that looked like it had arrived at the scene. There was no emergency response at all from the government.
The first two government-owned hospitals they visited did not function as there were no doctors and nurses to attend to the victims before the good Samaritans took them to the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, where some of the victims were confirmed dead. Throughout, there was no response from the Ministry of Transport, Health, the ENTRACO, the Police, Road Safety, et al.
Shockingly, it was discovered on Sunday that the Imo Government and State Police Command do not have a towing van. The two towing vans that arrived to remove the truck from the scene were hired from private citizens. What a shame. In all, it took the State government 14 hours to remove the articulated truck involved from the scene.
Nothing can better demonstrate the morbid laziness, disregard for the citizens’ well-being, callousness and crass irresponsibility on the side of the Gov. Hope Uzodimma regime which continues to leave Imo people to their fate where they ordinarily should have been protected.
It also says a lot about the health of the health sector in the State, which like every other sector, has painfully gone comatose under Uzodimma’s regime that has no value for human life.
We, therefore, call for a state of emergency for the health sector and the emergency departments in the State while urging the government of the day to be proactive for once to seek a lasting solution for the recurring accident cases at the IMSU junction”.
