By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to resettling the Okobaba Saw Millers, assuring that it will provide complementary services and infrastructure that will make life more meaningful for them at their new home at Agbowa- lkosi.
The relocation of the sawmillers has been a controversial issue before now as they resisted previous attempts to relocate them and clean up the area.
Commissioner of Physical Planning & Urban Development Dr ldris Salako, in an interview, said government was more committed than ever to clean up the area. He said other areas marked for remodeling were Otto, lkota, llasan, Bariga, Shomolu, Obalende and lfelodun, adding that all title in Obalende had expired.
In the same vein, he said the Committee of the House of Representatives on Relocation of Tank Farms and Tank Farm operators have adopted a co-habitation policy against earlier relocation plan.
The new policy is aimed at upgrading basic infrastructure in host communities where Tank Farms are located. Recall that the state government had earlier given Tank Farm operators ultimatum to commence the process of regularising their facilities by filling the application for planning permit.
Salako said that the operations of the Tank Farms had thrown up many challenges for the state, including pipeline vandalism, environmental degradation, fire outbreak, traffic congestion and destruction of public infrastructure among others.
To ease the challenges, Salako said it was paramount for Tank Farms to provide complementary facilities and services such as holding bays, traffic personnel.
Stated that there are several agencies of government both federal and state, responsible for the operation of tank farms. However, the approval to construct a tank farm is the preserve of the state government.
‘’Other agencies are also involved, like getting fire service clearance with conditions to be met, secure police report, clearance from Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, safety commission must also certify conditions to be met before granting permit to construct a tank farm. Also Environment and Social Impact Assessments, EIA, will be conducted in the process,” Salako explained.
Speaking on proliferation of tank farms in the state, he recalled that during the administration of then Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2007, embargo was placed on construction of tank farms. “Approval was suspended. Then there were about just 10 tank farms but we have up to 41 tank farms now. The policy, during Fashola administration was that all tank farms should relocate to Ibeju-Lekki but due to unknown reasons they have failed to relocate,” he further added.
Salako continued, “About two months ago, the Committee of the House of Representatives on Relocation of Tank Farms came to us and we looked at the issue again.
“Considering the fact that the operations of tank farm critical to the nation’s economy, the state government proposed policy of co-habitation.
“We deliberated and both parties were of the opinion that rather than relocating them we should adopt policy of co-habitation looking at the fact that the tank farms have been in existence for long.
“So with the new policy, the tank farm owners and government will be responsible for provision of necessary social amenities and other basic needs for the communities.
“We agreed that there should be buffer zone of 250 metres to 500 metres between the tank farm and the community.
“The state Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has also approved for us to prepare action area plans for the implementation of the policy, especially the Ijegun-Egba, in Satellite Town, Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area, LCDA.
“We have also invited tank farm owners to a stakeholders’ forum to intimate them with the new policy and come up with their area of operation as well as Corporate Social Responsible, CSR. They all agreed and we gave them a timeline which will expire next week.
“Eight of the owners have responded til-date. The timeline is for them to come up with the design and blue print that will ensure that all amenities to make life liveable for community are provided.”
The areas where the tank farms mainly located, are: Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, between Trinity and Coconut, Ijora-Badia, Apapa and Ijegun-Egba, Oriade LCDA.
In a related development, Salako revealed that the state government would no longer grant planning permit for the siting or construction of gas plants within residential areas in the metropolis.
This decision, according to him, was to prevent incessant gas explosions with associated loss of lives and valuable in the state. “We are shutting down existing gas plants. We are also collaborating with safety commission in this area. In the next six months, the state authority will be preparing action area plan to take gas plant out and also come out with requirements for locating gas plants in the state,” Salako said. He added that the ministry is engaging the safety commission, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to give their inputs to the plan.
