The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee on Relocation of Tank Farms on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 called for peaceful coexistence between tank farm operators and Community members in Ijegun Egba area of Lagos State.
The Ad-Hoc committee was constituted by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila as a result of complaint by the House, with the purpose of investigating the cause of disagreement between tank farm owners and the Communities as well as proffer solutions to them.
The call which was made at a peaceful meeting between representatives of the host Community and operators of Ijegun Egba Tank farm, the Chairman, Sergius Ogun, said “there were obvious questions that we needed to put to the approving agencies. It is work in progress; the Community wants more corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the operators have told us that they have done so much. We have told the operators to bring what they have done so far. We are also going to engage the Lagos State Government.
“The tank farm operators pay tax, so it is going to be collaboration between the State, Federal, operators and the Community. If we all collaborate, the business can live side by side with human beings and that is why we are insisting on safety.
Speaking while receiving members of the Committee at the State House, Marina, Lagos State Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said that the best solution to the disagreement between the tank farm owners and residents of the host Community is for the Federal Government regulatory agencies to collaborate with State agencies to address the environmental decoration in the area.
He stressed that there is need for tank farm owners and tanker drivers to adhere to operational regulations that limit the loading of tankers beyond their weight capacity.
In his contribution, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote said the tank farms in Ijegun Egba and Kirikiri are contributing about 25percent of the products distributed in Nigeria come from the tank farm.
“They have invested about N450 billion, so we cannot wish them away. So we need to find a way to peacefully coexist with the residents of the area. The residents have a right to be there, so we have to find a way for them to coexist.”
Olaoluwa Adekunle
