Apapa traffic: FG making steady progress — Presidency

Report submitted to the Federal Government recently indicates that significant progress is being recorded in the Apapa traffic situation while some challenges are still being sorted out, the Presidency has said in a statement.

The statement, signed by Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, was made available to our reporter on Monday in Abuja.

The report indicated that critical infrastructure including roads around the Apapa corridor were at different levels of completion with some already open for public use.

He said that more update on efforts to fix the Apapa traffic situation was given at a virtual stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Part of the plan to address the problem in Apapa was the idea of fixing some of the roads around the area.

Akande listed progress recorded in fixing the road infrastructure relative to the Apapa traffic situation as disclosed at the meeting as the Apapa Wharf road – completed since 2018 and already in use.

Others are 1.4 kilometres Liverpool road – almost completed but open for public use, 2.9 kilometres Creek road – almost completed but open for public use, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway from Creek road to Tin Can Port gate 1 – almost completed.

Also listed was the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway from Tin Can Port gate 1 to Mile 2 – at advanced stage of completion and the Tin Can Island Transit Truck Park – completed and now in use.

“Besides the issue of road constructions, other development includes the adoption of a call-up system for trucks at the Lagos Port which is at advanced stage and will soon be deployed,’’ he said.

Akande said that the vice president spoke after listening to stakeholders at the recent virtual meeting.

He said the vice president directed all agencies working within and around the port to work in collaboration with the Lagos State government to intensify efforts aimed at clearing the traffic problems in the area.

Responding to the vice president’s inquiry about the renovation of the rail line to the port, Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said the COVID-19 pandemic had altered the pace of work.

He added however that work would resume soon on the rail line.

Speaking on the current traffic situation around the area, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said it had been worsened by the temporary closure of major transit routes like Third Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge and several other roads.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retired), Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hajiya Hadiza Usman attended the meeting.

Also in attendance were the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Presidential Task Team, Mr Kayode Opeifa.

The Amalgamation of Container Trucks Owners Association of Nigeria (ACTOAN) and other stakeholders in Apapa had observed that ongoing road construction within Apapa environs was responsible for the recent slow pace of movement into Apapa.

Truck owners, residents and other stakeholders in Apapa also lauded the Osinbajo-led Presidential Task Team on restoration of law and order in the area.

They said the timely intervention by the Osinbajo-led team had restored sanity after two days of gridlock caused by the massive road construction and rehabilitation on major access roads.

Speaking on the development in Apapa, ACTOAN Chairman, Olalaye Thompson, said there the traffic situation in Apapa was under control following the intervention of the task team.

More so, a resident, Wahab Jimoh, said more private cars plied Apapa more frequently due to the restoration of law and order on the axis.

“There was no resurfacing of gridlock at all. No truck sleeps on the road, it has never happened.

“So, where is the gridlock, so, we should be talking about the whole Lagos gridlock then,” he asked