Management of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited has carried out further repairs on failed sections of the Benin-Sapele highway to prevent trucks and heavy-duty vehicles from falling onto the road.

The palliative work was carried out at various sections of the road, including Iyanomo, Ekosa, Obayantor Ologbo, and Koko junction in Delta State.

Head of Technical Operations of the Edo Refinery, Segun Okeini, said the intervention was to prevent an incident that happened five years ago when an oil tanker carrying PMS fell at one of the bad spots in Ologbo, resulting in a fire that killed over 20 persons.

Okeini said the firm acted promptly to repair the spot after the accident.

He said the failed portions have been affecting the firm’s operations as tankers spent days on the highway before gaining access to the refinery to load products.

His words, “Our refinery is just about two kilometres ahead. And this area falls within the scope of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

“They approached us to help them fix the failed section because most of their people cannot go out of the area. Our Chairman was around during that period and saw the extent of the damage to the road. Even on that same day, we had like five trucks fall along the road. He authorised us to just undertake this.

“It is not directly affecting our production, but you know, trucks that come for loading at times when the road is blocked, they will not be able to access the facility, and that can affect our operation.

Managing Director of SODEOSA Global Resources, Solomon Uyiekpen, said commuters experienced suffering on the road before the intervention.

Uyiekpen said he collaborated with the Edo Refinery to fix the road as a CSR to the communities around the area.

A member of the Obayantor community, Kennedy Nwazekwu, said the repair work would stop incessant accidents on the road.

He said over 20 people have been killed when their vehicles fell into the ditch.