traffic points in Apapa area of the state to get a firsthand
experience of the gridlock which has defied solutions in recent times,
just as he appealed to the Federal Government to mobilise the
contractor awarded the construction of Apapa road networks to
immediately return to site.
The Governor who was accompanied on the visit by top officials of the
state government and security agencies, said he was particularly
disturbed about the traffic commuters and motorists are condemned to
on a daily basis, which he said was largely due to the indiscriminate
parking of articulated trucks attempting to access the port and tank
farms located within the axis.
“What we have done in the last three hours is trying to find out what
are the issues that partake to Apapa. We've all seen that the gridlock
in Apapa is multifaceted. We have examined things that relate to
activities of trailer drivers and tanker drivers”, the Governor said
in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna.
Alluding to the fact that the network of roads in Apapa belong to the
Federal Government, he lamented that the Tincan Bridge, which has been
under construction for about six years was abandoned, which has given
rise to tankers parking indiscriminately on the road.
“It is totally unacceptable that we would be having tankers and
trailers on our bridges. It is also not acceptable that they would
decide to block all lanes that lead to Apapa. We've also seen that we
must do something immediately to alleviate the challenges that the
residents and businessmen are facing”.
“But again, you'll also realise that the roads that lead to Apapa
Wharf and Tincan Island actually belong to the Federal Government.
We've come to this Tin Can Bridge, it has been under construction in
the last six years, we've also seen a trailer park that can actually
contain about 500 trailers at a time that has been abandoned by the
Federal Government”.
“What we want to do now is firstly to appeal to the Federal Government
and most especially Mr. President that the contractor working on this
particular bridge should come back to site and once we are able to
open the trailer park, we would be able to allow other trailer and
tankers to use the park”.
The Governor also expressed concerns about the activities at the 57
tank farms in the area, saying they constitute great security
challenge for the state government, adding that owners of the farms
will be summoned for a meeting soon.
“The greater part of this challenge is posed by the tank farm owners.
As we speak we have 57 tank farms around Apapa alone, that's a major
security challenge for the state government”.
“We have to start to look at the security issues relating to these
tank farms. All trailers across the country come to these tank farms
and the tank farm owners, we are going to direct them in the next few
days, they would be summoned to a meeting and they have to tell us
what is their remedy to this menace that we are having in Apapa”.
As a palliative measure towards ensuring free flow of traffic,
Governor Ambode said a task force would be immediately set up to
ensure 24 hours surveillance of traffic flow while stressing that the
Lagos Road Traffic Law will be enforced to the letter.
“Right now on our part, the immediate palliative is that we would set
up a task force that would involve most of our security agencies
including the police and we would do a 24/7 monitoring of the traffic.
“We would pay more attention to enforcement. From this evening you
would see that there would be more attention on enforcement and we
would also fund that enforcement. We are going to give incentives to
our law enforcement officers to ensure that the Lagos Traffic Law is
obeyed”.
The Governor also assured that road networks in deplorable state in
Apapa will also be given attention.
Governor Ambode, who also visited traffic points in Ajah Roundabout
assured that a joint task force will be immediately deployed to ensure
free flow of traffic.
“We've all agreed, we need a flyover here, but we can't give you a
flyover until maybe about 12 to 18 months before it can be delivered.
What we are going to do is to ensure that we enforce the traffic law
here 24/7. I've listened to your suggestion. Yes, you have said we
don't need to make use of the roundabout, we can create other outlets
to allow traffic to flow easily”.
“We are going to deploy our men here, we are going to have a joint
task force here to allow traffic flow. It doesn't make sense after
paying toll then you now spend three hours to get to your home, we
don't want that and that's what you are going to see in terms of what
we are going to deploy regarding solution”.
In his remarks, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti,
observed that the Apapa road network and the activities of tanker
drivers call for great security concern, expressing optimism that with
improved road network, there will be little room for hoodlums to
perpetrate crime.
On her part, Executive Secretary of Apapa local government, Bolaji
Dada, also hinted that meetings have been held at the council towards
finding a lasting solution to the gridlock in the area.
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