Reflecting
on the fatal explosions that occurred in the Apapa area of Lagos, Wednesday
night, experts have warned of the need to find a solution to the perennial
traffic gridlocks and to limit the quantity and concentration of hydrocarbons
in the area.
Experts
warned that the casualties would have been much more, if the explosion had
engulfed the huge number of fuel bearing tankers lining the area.
According
to them, the blockage of the roads by the tankers would have made escape and
consequent evacuation of the casualties difficult, if not impossible.
An industry operator, who did not want his name mentioned said
what
has happened has shown the need for proper assessment of the quantity of hydrocarbons such as gas , petrol, kerosene
and diesel, stored in Apapa, for safety reasons.
“This is the only way to quantify the danger
we are in. This information will help us realise whether or not it is safe to
have such volumes in an area that is also residential and commercial.”
Other
experts have said over time, that the long term solution is to repair or
privatise the refineries and to go back to transporting fuel through pipelines
and by rail, which they say is cheaper and safer.
The
death toll from the Apapa explosion so far, is put at 11, with several more
injured and receiving treatment in hospitals around Lagos.
A
just loaded fuel tanker was said to have exploded in a tank farm on Creek road,
Apapa, Wednesday night, resulting in the said casualties. The Creek road area,
and indeed much of Apapa is littered with tank farms, and experts say this raises fears that a fire in
one facility could easily spread to others and cause severe losses in lives and
properties.
The
traumatising traffic gridlocks continued yesterday, with no visible signs of
efforts by government to come to the rescue of commuters.
Telephone
calls to Sylvester Monye, chairman, Presidential Committee on Port Reform, did
not go through, and text messages received no reply.
However,
Lateef Ibirogba, the Lagos State commissioner for information and strategy,
blamed the situation on the federal government, which he said concessioned the
Apapa ports without making arrangement for trailer parks.
On
the cases of robbery on commuters caught
in the traffic jams, Ibirogba said the state government would deploy more
police personnel from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on the route.
Rasheed Adegbenro, the immediate past acting
director-general, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said the situation
in Apapa is taking a toll on the manufacturing subsector. ‘’When imported raw
materials get stuck at the ports and on the roads, it results in a stock-out of
raw materials, which means that the internal stock level of the manufacturers
would decrease, resulting to low production levels, ‘’he said.
Remi
Bello, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) also believes
that the supposed gains of the newly-introduced Pre-Arrival Assessment Report
(PAAR) are being lost, not only within the ports, but also on the roads, due to
congestion, resulting in factory disruptions and consequently raising the cost
of doing business.
In
the last one week, road congestion in Apapa has become worse, as oil tankers
headed to tank farms continue to stay on the roads, forcing traffic flow to a
standstill. As this lasts, businesses and residents have continued to pay the
price. Also, roads leading in and out of
Apapa have slipped into a terrible state of disrepair, further compounding the
traffic situation.
Most
horrifying is driving into the Apapa port from Funsho Williams Avenue (former
Western Avenue) in Surulere, through
Iganmu and the Ijora Olopa interchange from Apongbon.
Between
the Lagos State Water Corporation, Ijora and Area ‘B’ Police Headquarters in
Apapa, the entire road is completely mutilated, causing wear and tear on
vehicles, with commuters losing precious man hours in perennial gridlocks.
Other
analysts who spoke with BusinessDay expressed regret over the neglect of Apapa,
from where the federal government makes trillions of naira yearly. They also
lamented the lack of adequate alternative transportation such as rail and waterways.
BusinessDay
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