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Chinenye Anuforo
Following a proposed plan by Westron Properties Limited, an engineering and maritime investment company, to develop a seaport in Ijegun, near Satellite Town, residents of the area under the auspices of Satellite Town Forum have rejected the move, arguing it was one of the strategies to build more container terminals and tank farms to compound their woes.
In a chat with newsmen recently in Lagos, the founder, Westron Properties, George Igboegwu, said the emerging port city of Ijegun is a private initiative born out of necessity.
“Our company was involved in industrial fishing and became caught up with delays at Apapa port together with the traffic gridlock along the axis. Our fishing trawlers could not find not find adequate birthing facilities in Lagos-the main market for their products.
“While searching for solution to the problem, we stumbled on the calm waters and natural harbor of Ijegun and we decided to explore the maritime potential with the active cooperation of government,” he said. However, residents, in their numbers stormed the newly constructed bridge and protested against the proposed establishment of the port city.
The chairman Satellite Town Forum, Governor Imitimi, said “We have been on this agitation of setting Satellite Town free; Satellite town is a residential area; you can verify from the Federal Ministry of Environment, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, for this status. But along the line, individual investors are turning it into a mixed environment with commercial activities which has led to the establishment of tank farms.
Already, we have about 13 marketing companies tank farms and these marketing companies with over 50 tank farms that are already in place and over 600 trucks plying Mumuney Adio Badmos road popularly known as Maruwa road. The port city, according to the company, would divert 50 per cent of the traffic congestion from Apapa to this location.” He said the entire community is congested with the existing tank farms adding that establishing Ijegun port city would only compound their woes.
