Abia govt inaugurates panel of enquiry to investigate Osisioma pipeline explosion
By Steve Oko
Barely two months after a pipeline explosion claimed over 200 lives in Umudara and Umuimo both in Osisioma Local Government Areas, the Abia State Government, Friday, inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry with a mandate to establish the immediate and remote causes of the disaster.

The 11-man Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Eme Okoro, on behalf of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, is headed by Mr Akoma Uzoma, according to a press release by the Director of Information, office of the SSG, Comrade John Emejor.

According to the release made available to Wawa News Global, the SSG charged the Commission to “clinically identity Individuals or corporation organization that may have contributed directly or indirectly to the incident”.

The panel has three weeks to submit its report to Government.
The release read in part: “He enjoined them to make ‘appropriate recommendation on ways to forestall future occurrences.

” Dr Okoro then told them to hit the ground running as government expected to receive their report within three weeks of their inauguration. 

“Responding on behalf of other members, the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, represented by the Commissioner of Petroleum, Barr. Chizuru Kanu, thanked Governor Ikpeazu for finding them worthy to serve the state in this capacity.
“He promised that they were going to work assiduously to deliver their mandate without fail.”

Wawa News Global recalls that the Senate Committees on Downstream products as well as Police Affairs had also visited the state following a motion on matters of urgent public importance moved by Senator Theodore Orji representing Abia Central zone.
The affected communities had blamed the disaster on negligence by the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC for its alleged failure to repair its leaking pipelines even after the locals had raised alarm.
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