House of Representatives on Wednesday called on management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to immediately commence the process of relocating tank farms domiciled in the Apapa axis of Lagos State.
The resolution was passed following the adoption of the motion under Matter of Urgent Public Importance sponsored by Ayodeji Joseph (APC-Lagos), which coincides with a stakehokders’ meeting including: Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO), Flour Mills Nigeria, Dangote Nigeria, Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association (PTD), Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the instance of the Lagos State Government.
Other lawmakers who spoke in favour of the motion include: James Faleke, chairman, House Committee on Customs and Excise; Rita Orji, chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Jide Jimoh (APC-Lagos.
The House also mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) chaired by Joseph Akinlaja (PDP-Ondo) to liaise with NNPC with the view to ensure that only tankers with Authority to Load (ATL) were allowed to go into Apapa.
The Committee is also expected to interface with Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to put pressure on the contractor handling the truck park at Tin Can Island to ensure timely completion of the site.
In his lead debate, Joseph recalled that several interventions of the Lagos State government amongst others to free the zone of serpentine traffic jams had failed, appealed to members to grant the prayers of his motion.
“The House notes that the perennial traffic gridlock in Apapa has subsisted despite efforts of government to find a permanent solution to it.
“Those economic and vehicular activities in the corridor which is a major gateway to the Nation’s foremost seaport has been adversely affected by the menance.
“In the first two weeks of September alone, over 2,000 trailers, trucks and oil tankers had massively flooded Ikorodu road all through to Apapa in bid to get into the Port and tank farms to covey commofities to their various destinations.
“In response to the recent blockage of all access roads to Apapa and the intractable traffic gridlock that resulted from it, the Lagos State Government ordered all trailers, trucks and oil tankers to stay off all the roads within the state.
“The House is further aware that Lagos State government has mobilized resources to ensure articulated vehicles stay away from Lagos until the traffic logjam is resolved while the representative of Apapa Constituency 1 in the State Assembly, Mrs. Mojisola Miranda has also raised concerns about the problem.
“The House is concerned that breakdown of operations at Apapa port is touted as the cause of the gridlock which extended from Apapa to Ojuelegba with its attendant dislocation of economic activities.
“If something urgent is not done, port activities will be in jeopardy and revenue to the nation’s coffers will dwindle astronomically,” the Lagos state lawmaker observed.
Also at plenary, the House mandated its Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways to investigate the cause of the dislocation in port operations which is suspected to have led to the renewed gridlock and report back to the House within three weeks for further legislative action.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
