Lagos — Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mufutau Egberongbe, representing Apapa Constituency I, has called on both the Federal and Lagos State governments to relocate tank farms that now dot Apapa landscape to virgin lands in the state.

Egberongbe, who expressed worry at the rate at which tank farms are being erected around the area on a daily basis, said they are not meant to be erected in residential and commercial area.

Petroleum tankers feed from the tank farms on a daily basis.

Speaking to Daily Independent in his office on Thursday, the lawmaker said "the whole of Apapa has now been taken over by tank farms and this is not ideal. We are talking about Mega City, but there are some things that are not yet in place to achieve this aim.

"If you go to some parts of Apapa, all you see is tank farm and Apapa is known to be a residential and commercial area, but if you go to a place like Westminster, the number of tank farms in that place is enormous.

"This is very dangerous because if there is any ignition, imagine what will happen, it means the whole of Apapa will be consumed.

"It is high time the Federal Government stop giving approval to owner of these tank farms. Tank farms are not meant to be in residential areas.

"There are so many virgin lands in the state where these tank farms can be. They should be relocated from Apapa to somewhere like Badagry and Epe," Egberongbe said.

He also urged the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, to act fast in ensuring that the administration of President Umaru Yar'Adua stop giving approval to construct tank farms in residential areas of the state.

"Governor Fashola must also ensure that he meets with President Yar'Adua to ensure that owners of these tank farms are relocated to places where there are no houses or industries like Apapa. We must avoid anything that would cause mass loss of lives," he added.