By Vincent Ujumadu
SEVERAL houses and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed at the university town of Uli, Anambra State weekend, when a tanker loaded with fuel fell along the road and caused an inferno that took several hours to put under control.

An eye witness said the incident took place when most of the residents of the area had left for their businesses, adding that most of the people were not able to retrieve any of their property.

The state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who had already visited the area to commiserate with victims of the fire disaster and assess the extent of damage, said such a thing was the last he wished for the state.

The governor said he was usually pained when any part of the state suffered such a disaster, in view of the present hardship in the country and promised to pay compensation to the affected people.

Obi, who had earlier sent a member of his cabinet to assess the extent of damage, also directed the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to pay attention to the incident, adding that he felt compelled to visit in person to show how worried he was.

He appealed to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to replace the burnt wire and restore electricity to the affected houses to restore normal life in the area.

In his speech, the member representing Ihiala 1 constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr.  Simeon Ohajianya, commended Obi for his prompt response to the incident, adding that he was often humbled by the way issues affecting any part of the state touched the governor.

His words: “When I informed him about the disaster, he was touched. For once, one could see a governor who is passionate about the welfare of his people.

“If you do not love this state, after dealing with Governor Obi, you will be inspired to love the state.”