The member representing Apapa Federal Constituency at the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Mr. Mufutau Egberongbe, has renewed the call on the Federal Government to immediately relocate tank farms away from Apapa.
Egberongbe, who stated this while reacting to the fire incident at a tank farm facility belonging to Oando Energy around Marine Beach area of Apapa, urged residents of the area to remain calm and not exercise any fear over the incident.
The lawmaker, who spoke with The NEXT EDITION on Saturday, assured the people of the area that the situation is under control, stating that he had contacted the head of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Lagos, who assured him that the fire would be put out soon.
According to him, “I want to appeal to my people to remain calm and not exercise any fear. The incident is no doubt unfortunate. But, I have been assured by NEMA that the fire will be quenched in no time.
“Because of the nature of the contents of the tank farm, it has been very difficult to put out the fire but like I said, NEMA gave me an assurance that the fire will be put out very soon.”
Speaking further, the lawmaker insisted that the time had come for the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, relocate tank farms away from the Apapa area of the state, suggesting that location like Ibeju-Lekki would be suitable for tank farms.
He argued that Apapa, as of today, had become a residential and commercial area, housing factories such as Flour Mills, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others, and as such, should not house tank farms.
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“I have been making this call for relocation of tank farms ever since I became a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and this is one of the reasons why I have been crying for the relocation.
“Tank farms are not meant to be in a place like Apapa. I am once again calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to relocate these tank farms away from Apapa. There are vacant lands in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos where these tank farms can be sited,” the lawmaker said.
He also appealed to President Buhari to look at a way of granting Lagos a special status, which had been on the front burner for a while now.
“Lagos really needs a special status and we have been making this clamour for a while now. The best time to grant us is now. More so, with what Lagos State witnessed weeks back, President Muhammadu Buhari should consider the state for this special status,” Egberongbe added.
