Worried by the inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, and the Lagos State Government to ensure the free flow of traffic in and around Ijegun, Kirikiri, and Satellite town in the state, the House of Representatives has called on these entities to work closely in a collaborative manner to ensure ease of movement in the area.
Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on the Need to Relocate Tank Farms in Residential Areas of Ijegun, Kirikiri, and other areas, Sergius Ogun, made the call at an investigative hearing on the matter.
The Lawmakers and other key players, who expressed dissatisfaction with the non-collaborative relationship between the Lagos government and the agencies, called for a closer working relationship among them.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave assurances that the House will ensure that the legislative business is carried out in accordance with the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
The Speaker lamented that from the presentation by the agencies on their individual effort to ease traffic on the road leading to the tank farm, there is no collaboration.
He further said that the committee has scheduled a meeting with the Lagos State Government to see how the issue can be addressed.
The NPA Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Onari Brown, had called on the agencies to ensure that the residents of the area observe all safety procedures.
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The NNPC, however, said that the agency’s main job is to ensure that there is an uninterrupted flow of petroleum products on the major roads leading to the tank farm.
The House of Representatives had in a motion at the plenary called on the legislature, state government, NPA, DPR, and NNPC to ensure the urgent relocation of tank farms from the residential areas to other places.
The lawmakers argued that a place like Ijegun, Kirikiri, and Satellite town in Lagos State where a lot of people live should always experience unhindered free flow of traffic.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
