Sanwo-Olu seeks end to tank farm owners, community disagreement

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the lasting solution to the lingering disagreement between owners of petroleum tank farms in Ijegun-Egba, Amuwo Odofin and the host community is for the Federal Government’s regulatory agencies to co-operate with the state’s agencies in addressing environmental degradation in the area.

He added that the tank farm owners and oil tanker drivers must subscribe to operational regulations that limit the loading of tankers beyond their weight capacities.

Sanwo-Olu said the agitation by members of the host-community for the relocation of the tank farms might be far from being over if stakeholders fail to come to the discussion table and work collaboratively.

The governor spoke yesterday at the State House, Marina, when he received in audience members of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Relocation of Tank Farms constituted by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, with the mandate to investigate the matter and give recommendations.

Sanwo-Olu said the regeneration of Ijegun-Egba was as important to the community residents as smooth transportation of petroleum products was important to the tank farm owners.

He said the nation could not afford to allow the host community’s agitation to hinder the operations of the tank farms, which he said, supply 45 per cent of petroleum products consumed in the country.

The governor disclosed that the state government had come up with a new design for the regeneration of the area, but added that the efforts could not be rolled out because federal stakeholders had not agreed with the regeneration plan.

He said the stakeholders must fashion out ways to achieve efficient enforcement of the operational guidelines for oil tankers plying the area, pointing out that any intervention initiated without keeping the oil tankers within the confines of approved haulage capacity would yield no result.

The governor, who described the committee’s mission as “important national assignment,” lauded Gbajabiamila for prioritising the issue after the motion calling for assessment of the tank farms’ activities was moved in the House by member representing Amuwo-Odofin, Oghere Egoh.