A member of the House of Representatives representing Apapa Constituency, Mufutau Egberongbe, has raised the alarm over the return of petroleum tankers on the roads leading into and out of Apapa in Lagos.
Egberongbe, in a statement on Thursday, called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to explain to Nigerians factors responsible for the recent return of gridlock and insanity to the area.
He claims to have it “on good authority” that tank farms in Satelite Town have been shut, which he said may have been responsible for the return of a large number of petroleum tankers to Apapa.
“I am forced to cry out because I was shocked to see tankers gradually trooping into Apapa again after the presidential special taskforce has successfully taken them off the road.
“I had to make my findings and what I was told was that the tank farms site at Satellite Town area of the state has been shut for whatever reason and that has forced all of them to reroute to Apapa,” he said.
Egberongbe described the situation as unusual, stating that the recent development may likely lead to nationwide fuel scarcity.
He urged the NNPC to address the nation on the reason why the Satellite Town tank farms have been shut.
“This is very unusual. We have never had it this much where petrol tankers would be this much in a particular location. So, apart from the fear of causing traffic congestion, I think the NNPC needs to talk to Nigerians because this may likely lead to another nationwide fuel scarcity.
“A situation where tankers cannot lift fuel from other tank farms, then it would end up resulting in fuel scarcity. So the NNPC needs to assure the people that this recent development will not result in scarcity,” he added.
