Govt seeks relocation of Lagos tank farms to Ogun-Ondo

WORRIED by the continued presence of tank farms within Apapa metropolis in Lagos State, the Federal Government yesterday urged owners of the facilities to relocate their operations to between Ogun and Ondo states’ axis.

Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime, Leke Oyewole, who spoke in Lagos at a maritime stakeholders’ forum put together by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), argued that any fire incident within the vicinity might claim several lives and property.

Oyewole said: “Obviously, it is very dangerous where they are located now. The situation is a potential danger not only to the port but also to the community around that place.”

He added: “The entire Coconut community is not safe. The entire Apapa is not safe, even up to the Island. If there should be fire there today, you will watch the entire Apapa conflagration on Cable News Network (CNN) (God forbid). It is not a thing any nation wants to see. But now, we can still save the situation”.

Urging the owners of the facilities to relocate without further delay, Oyewole said the Ogun-Ondo axis is very good and convenient for the operations and activities of the tank farm owners.

“All the stretch across Olokola is a great location for them. The water along that place is deep. The entire place can be declared as port terminal. Terminal operators will move in and develop the place. They should relocate their operations now”, Oyewole added.

Chairman of Seaport and Terminal Operators’ Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Vicky Haastrup, who spoke earlier at the event put together to sensitise stakeholders on the new role of NSC as Economic Regulators, called for improved road infrastructure.

According to Haastrup, port access to vehicular traffic control system is chaotic along the axis, adding: “It has reduced the turnaround time of trucks resulting in high cost of haulage and congestion of the terminals. Dependency on only one mode of transport for movement of cargo from the port terminal is a big challenge”.

The group also described what it identified as “uncoordinated and high level on unprofessionalism of freight forwarders” as one of the factors responsible for improper documentation “that delays cargo release”.

Source: Guardian newspaper