Goveno Michael Imitini Chairman Satellite Town Forum on Wednesday 22nd July 2020 in Abuja stand tall and told the Ad -Hoc Committee set up by house of Representatives to probe the relocation of Tank Farms that Satellite Town is purely a residential area, stressing that people are already residing there before the establishment of the Tank Farms.
So considering the enormous damages and pains the tank farms activities have subjected residents of the Community to, they have to be relocated.
His position was made known to the Chairman of House of Representatives, Ad – Hoc committee, Hon Sergius O. Ogun. According to Govenor Michael Imitini, gave a brief history of Ijegun Egba Satellite Town as a residential area. He maintained and implored the house to take the matter serious before the Community is being wiped off by tank farm because we are in between Navy Town/ Kirikiri Town where their soficisicated armory are situated.
Goveno Imitini stated that it’s dishearten and disgruntled to note that heavy duty trucks of 33,000 to 75,000 PMS products do lined up from the express Road via Buba Marwa narrow Road to the Depot undermining the risk of fire outbreak which they don’t even have any modern fire equipment. Pointing to the recent Sallonaire fire incident, after every fruitless efforts, they have to call on Julius Begre who assisted to put out the fire with their modern equipments after a lot of damages have been done.
Another area of concern is that, people will leave home as early as 4.30am and get to their respective place of Work by 10.am. When they leave their offices again around 6Pm they arrive home at 12mid Night .Frankly speaking what will be the life expectancy of these people. The situation is highly annoying, he asserted.
The Federal Ministry of Environment made a presentation that most of the tank farms operators didn’t conduct EIA before establishment.
Others that made a presentation include NNPC, DPR, Federal Fire Service and NNPC subsidiaries.
The Chairman of Ijegun Egba Satellite Town Tank Farms owner association Mr Adebowale Olujimi who was not comfortable with the relocation agured that his members contributed to the growth and development of the country economy by way of revenue as they pay taxes, levies and other related charges to the Federal, State and Local Governments. According to Mr Olujimi over 35% of the country total supply is from Ijegun Egba Satellite Town. He concluded in a Sotto-Voce that billions of Naira have been invested in the business by his members. Where are we going to start from if we relocate, he asserted
Hon Oghene Egoh Representating Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency at the Same time a member of the Ad-Hoc Committee particularly called on NNPC to ensure that Old Ojo Road and Buba Marwa Road are dualised. He vehemently stick to the relocation of tank farms from Ijegun Egba Satellite Town.
The Ad-Hoc Committee who were not comfortable with the approval and the need for them to relocate, stated that they expected the tank farms operators to provide the necessary facilities and not to operate at the detriment of residents of the Community. According to the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee Hon Sergius O.Ogun said that Tank Farms operators got approval and they pay taxes likewise the residents of the Community. However they resolved to visit the site in Lagos for further investigation. Thereafter a larger house will be conveyed for a meeting before submitting report to the house.
Members of delegate sent to Abuja by Satellite Town Forum (STF) are: Goveno Michael Imitini, Barr Donald Anih, Ejugo Alfred, Rev Nwakaego Jessica Uhugwu, Adeyinka Adeniyi, Tunde Yaya, Ndubuisi Okafor and Talabi Olanipekun.