By Godwin ORITSE

THE Federal Government may have commenced moves to relocate the illegal settlers at the Ogogoro village adjacent the Apapa Port control towers with a view to constructing a new port on the site.

Disclosing to members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, General Manager Marine and Operation, Captain Ihenacho Ebubeogu, said that the continued occupation of that piece of land will not allow for the development of the place.

Ebubeogu explained that the settlers came to the village as a result of their dislocation from Maroko area of Victoria Island.

He noted that the settlement has become a breeding ground for all kinds of criminal activities adding the moment the authority get the approval from both the Federal and Lagos State governments.

Speaking in similar vein, Chairperson Senate Committee on Marine Transport Senator Zainab Kure, stated that the decision of relocating the settlers to give way for a new development is not only for NPA to take.

Kure explained that NPA will work with the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Lagos State Government to ensure a smooth relocation of the settlers.

She said “The project is not for NPA per-Se that can do the resettlement, NPA has to do it under the directive of Transport Ministry and the Ministry has to do under the directive of the Federal Government in consultation with Lagos State Government.

And we have said that if you are going to relocate people from where they are, you have to provide an alternative particularly if where they were is to used for national interest.

“All other stakeholders should be carried along in the course of relocating the settlers from their place of abode.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was however of the opinion that the settlement and its settlers should be developed along with the proposed port development adding that the development of the place will reduce the issue of crime in the area.

The spokesman for the NPA, Chief Micheal Ajayi, told Sweetcrudethat when the proposed port development is completed, it reduce the cost of shipping as this will also add value to the economy.