Lagos govt insists Apapa traffic situation has improved
The Lagos State Government has insisted that the Apapa traffic situation has improved and urged terminal operators to support the interventions put in place to end the gridlock in Apapa and its environs.
A statement titled, ‘Apapa gridlock has improved’, signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Bolanle Ogunlola, quoted the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, to have disclosed this during an operation review meeting with terminal operators in the Tin Can Island ports at Apapa,
Ogunlola, who doubles as the Chairman, Traffic Management Enforcement Team said that the meeting was in continuation of efforts to enlist the support of all the critical stakeholders in the ports at Apapa to get rid of the gridlock.
He noted that traffic in and out of Apapa and its environs had improved, adding, “If you come in through Eko Bridge, Ijora, SIFAX or Iganmu, the road is free. The only problem we are having now is from Area B to the Port.’’
Speaking on the plan to bring shippers to the roundtable as well so that they could be in sync with the transport initiative of the present administration, Ogunlola, said, “We have actually met with Shippers’ Council and they told us they are ready.
“We have agreed that the next meeting will be to engage the Shippers Council, the truckers, the terminal operators, Nigerian Ports Authority and every other stakeholder so that they can all air their challenges.
“This is because we will want the Shippers Council to be up and doing in the evacuation of empty containers. It is their responsibility to remove empty containers from blocking the roads.”
The Chairman of Apapa Local Government Area, Adele Elijah, while charging terminal operators on the need to support the e-call up system, said the time of making excuses was over and everyone must cooperate with the state government on Apapa traffic gridlock intervention.
On his part, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Central Business District, Sola Giwa, asked terminal operators to automate their operations.
Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, Vicky Hastrup, lamented that the existence of petroleum tank farms within Apapa area was the beginning of the traffic woes of the area and urged the state government to engage the Federal Government and relocate the tank farms as the state was sitting on a keg of gunpowder.
The terminal operators, according to the statement, pledged that they would not constitute any form of encumbrance to the current intervention set in place to end the traffic gridlock in Apapa and its environs.
Indication has emerged, however, that some truckers had resorted to forging the e-call up forms, while nine truckers had been arrested with fake e-call up forms at Area B Police station.
