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Stakeholders want Tank Farms relocated from Apapa

By BusinessNews Staff on July 3, 2015

Following the last stakeholders’ meeting held at Alausa, to find lasting solutions to the traffic gridlock within Apapa and its environs, stakeholders and residents in the community have concluded that tank farms in the surroundings should be relocated to a distance from the area.
The call was disclosed at the recent stakeholders’ meeting held at the Apapa Local Government Council secretariat tagged ‘Stakeholders Summit on Traffic Problem in Apapa Area’.
The meeting was attended by the state Ministry of Transportation, Officials of Apapa Local Government Council, Nigeria Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs), associations of oil marketers and transporters, among others.
Speaking at the meeting, Executive Director of Honeywell Flourmill, Rotimi Fadipe said tank farms should be removed from Apapa, lamenting that they should not have been allowed into the community because they did not keep to the rules provided which has now become a problem in the area.
He urged that the space opposite Tin-Can Island port and the suspended linking bridges should be constructed so as to allow trailers to use the park instead of the road, and a special lane for cars and vehicles should also be constructed.
Also, the Unit Commander, FRSC Wharf, Olalekan Morakinyo said there are about 52 tank farms in Apapa without each having proper holding bay to accommodate their trailers.
He said another solution that can ease the issue of gridlock in the community is if the government can come through the drivers’ leaders for things to work in accordance, because they usually listen to whatever instructions given by their leaders rather than the road officials.
At the meeting, other stakeholders said another major problem causing the gridlock was that the NNPC just issue tickets to marketers without stating whose turn it is to go to the depot to load.
The Executive Secretary of the Apapa LG council, Cecilia Bolaji Dada said she was not fulfilled enough as the major users of the road were not present at the meeting such as the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).
She said the Governor was aware of the meeting, and is expecting the communique in order to know the next move on the issue.
Dada requested for about 20 motorbikes on behalf of the Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sir Nim Anene for a proper operation in the area and mentioned that they have provided two motorbikes to the Police but still expecting more from good Samaritans.
Anene explained that the motorbikes which were designed in different forms and are being numbered in case of miscreants, would enable them to carry out smooth operations in tackling the problem in the area.
At the end of the meeting, stakeholders and the Council agreed to contribute some funds towards the development of the community.

[ThisDay]

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