* Ijegun Tank Farm * Pix source : Punch Newspapers
The recent called for relocation of tanks farms in Ibasa/Ijegun in Satellite Town area of Oriade Local Council Development Area in Lagos State by some Community Development Association (CDA) has been condemned by indigenes of the community.
It would be recalled that some CDA chaired by one Mr. Michael Imitimi, recently protested over what they called the negative impact of citing the tank farms in the area and demanded it’s relocation to other places.
While reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, of the tank farms, the CDA chairman said their demands were based on the dangerous and chaotic nature of the operations of the tank farms which he said which are detrimental to safety in the community.
However, indigenes of the community during a media conference on Friday, said the calls for the relocation of the farms tanks by the CDA was not in the interest of the general community but for personal reasons.
The Indigenes Youth League led by Mr Taofeeq Rasak Odunewu, Mr. Seliu Kazeem and Mr. S. O. Wakili, Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively, who described the CDA as tenants in the community did not deliberate with them or any stakeholders in the community before making the call.
The community youths in a statement released at the press conference, said, “our attention has been drawn to a protest organised by some group of dissenting residents who identified themselves as Community Development Association (CDA) of various streets in the Ibasa/Ijegun Egba, Satellite Town, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State, calling for relocation of all tanks farm in our community.
“We would like to say categorically that, those who protested against the presence of tanks farms in our community are unknown to us and they are not indigenes of this community, by that, they cannot claim to be representing our interest, but their own selfish interest.
“Consequently, we reject the protest in all its entirety and we regard it as a breach of the public peace and a calculated attempt by those group to cause face-off within the community. We however call on the Federal Government, Lagos State Government, the Local Council Development Area and the Regent of the community to call the dissenting members to order in the interest of peace and development”.
The community youth said the farms tanks which began operation in the community as far back as year 2011 with First Deep Water Oil, has brought unprecedented development to the community in the area of employment and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), adding that their presence has led to positive development of the community due to economic growth.
According to the youths, “We are aware of the alarming unemployment rate in the state and any attempt to move the tanks farms as demanded by the dissenting residents of the community will make the youths jobless and will further lead such individuals to crime.”
The youths said solution to the challenges facing the community is not moving the tanks farms out of the community, but having a round table discussion with credible stakeholders in the community to proffer millennium solutions to the identified problems.
The community youths said the major problem facing the area is the chaotic transport system which they attributed to the activities of some of the residents who have blocked link and street roads which can serve as alternative routes
They therefore called landlords to immediately open up all the gated streets and link-roads within the community which includes: Juveniles Street, Divine Street, Mustapha Street linking Alebioshu/Navy Gate and Alakija, in order to decongest the major road plied by trucks, various vehicles etc. While also called CDA members to desist from intimidating natives of the community and taking laws into their hands.
The youths also appealed to the Federal and Lagos State governments to dualise the Mumin Adio Badmus Road to meet the increasing economic activities provision of fire service stations in the area .
They also called on the local council to create a special office that will be monitor the activities of the Tanks farms as well as liaison between the emerging farms and the community.
Corroborating the youths position, Chief Yisa Adagun and the community’s regent and Secretary respectively, also said the called for relocation of tanks farms by the CDA was done for selfish reasons as the association never consulted the indigenes and the community stakeholders before making the call.
“The protest by the CDA for the relocation of tanks farms from this community wasn’t in our general interest but for selfish purposes. We are not part of the protest and we shall never be part of it. Reasons been that the presence of the tanks farms have really gave us untold development”, he said.
