Residents Demand Stricter Safety Measures After Pupil Dies In Uvwie Construction Accident

By Blessing Enisuo, Warri

Residents of Enerhen in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State have called for urgent enforcement of safety measures following the tragic death of a primary school pupil along MCC Road on Monday.

The incident, which occurred near an ongoing drainage construction site, has sparked outrage in the community, with locals insisting that it was the third safety-related mishap linked to the project.

Eyewitnesses said the young girl was crossing the road with her siblings when a heavy-duty truck, allegedly attached to the drainage project handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, stopped to allow them pass.

However, after crossing, the child reportedly noticed her school bag had fallen and ran back to retrieve it. Believing all the children had safely crossed, the driver was said to have moved the truck, fatally crushing the pupil.

“The driver stopped for them to pass. After they crossed, her bag fell and she went back to pick it. The driver thought they had all crossed and continued moving. It is very painful,” a resident recounted.

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The pupil was said to have died on the spot.

Community members lamented that a similar tragedy had occurred previously when a child reportedly fell into the deep drainage under construction and died. In another separate incident, a child was rescued after falling into the same drainage.

“This is the third time something like this is happening here. They should complete the project quickly and ensure proper safety measures are put in place,” another resident said.

As of press time, efforts to get official reactions from Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and the Delta State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to their respective lines did not connect.

Residents are now urging relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident and compel contractors to adopt stricter safety protocols to prevent further loss of lives.

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