The  Federal Government should tell its agencies to make medium and long term plans to relocate their facilities which can be injurious to human life from residential areas. The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola made the plea last week when he visited the MRS Products Limited Tank Farm in Apapa which was gutted by fire.

Governor Fashola has also pledged to resettle victims of the fire incident at Okobaba Saw Mill in Ebute Metta. Those rendered homeless by the fire which destroyed houses and shanties  would be resettled at the Resettlement Centre while the Government continues with the re-planning of the area.

Gov Fashola

The Governor however warned that nobody should rebuild any structure at Okobaba as long as the work of redesigning and clearing the garbage-filled drainage in the area lasts. The Governor who recalled the extensive consultations he had with the people in 2008 over the relocation of the village to a new site, disclosed that the new site was almost ready.

According to him,  no less than 3,000 housing units have been provided for the displaced residents of the area. The new place, he said, offers the people the opportunity to live and do their business in a more decent environment.

While sympathizing with the traders and inhabitants of the Sawmill community who trooped out to receive him, Governor Fashola said he had already done a lot in addressing the problem of developing a new site that is more conducive to their business and living.

At the MRS Tank Farm, Governor Fashola enjoined the Federal Government to step up safety standard compliance level among its agencies in the Lagos state in the short term.

“In the long term, the way forward is to relocate all these facilities from residential areas. The Federal Government should tell its agencies ‘look, for medium and long term let’s plan to relocate, ” he said.

The Governor who said the state is ready to provide the facilities for relocation, noted that already, Lagos has an oil and gas section in its Lekki Free Trade Zone. According to him, relocating to such an area would make for more efficient production and guarantee safety of life and property.

“We have moved the Federal capital and if we could do that, this will not pose any problem; so that this place can become what it was before, providing jetties for people to discharge safe cargoes, very simple cargoes and all of that”, the Governor said.

Describing the fire disaster as one tragedy too many, Governor Fashola declared, “It is only pure luck that saved the day; we cannot continue to live by luck and I hope our luck is not running out”.

Gov. Fashola further said: “This place was not designed in the first place for fuel dump. We converted it. All sorts of activities brought here by the regulatory agencies, PPMC and others, were part of the private jetties when the Tin Can Island Ports was still part of here but we just converted it because the old installation in Apapa became inadequate for the people”.