Motorists hail return of sanity as trucks disappear in Apapa
Some motorists plying Apapa roads yesterday hailed the return of sanity to the Port area even as they asked the Presidential Task Force on the gridlock to sustain the current tempo. City News reports that the task force has recorded significant breakthrough in restoring normalcy in Nigeria’s premier port after driving trucks and tankers away […]
Some motorists plying Apapa roads yesterday hailed the return of sanity to the Port area even as they asked the Presidential Task Force on the gridlock to sustain the current tempo.
City News reports that the task force has recorded significant breakthrough in restoring normalcy in Nigeria’s premier port after driving trucks and tankers away from major entry points into Apapa.
A commercial driver, Adisa Adewale who plies Ojuelegba to Wharf-Apapa, said he couldn’t believe that he could drive to Apapa from Ojuelegbe under bridge in 15 minutes.
The Presidential Task force who is saddled with the responsibility of restoring Law and Order on Apapa Port road, said if not for the torrential rainfall, it would have cleared the Port area up to Mile 2.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Task Force, Kayode Opeifa said: “We need only 500 meters to get to Mile 2. By the time we hit Mile 2, our terms of reference would have been fully accomplished”, he said
Our Reporter observed that trucks have been evacuated from Flour Mills in Apapa up to the entire stretch of Ijora Bridge to Costain, Marine, and Ikorodu areas which were hitherto littered by trucks and trailers. He said the Task Force has identified 33 parks within Apapa axis which can accommodate 3,000 trucks.
“We have restored law and order, especially at Tin Can and Coconut axis and we have removed extortion. We were heavily resisted by youths who came out with weapons”, he said.
Opeifa also commended the security agencies in Apapa, most importantly, the Nigerian Navy Western Command for its cooperation. He however, advised the leaderships of the security agencies to call some of their men to order for allegedly extorting the drivers.
Opeifa, a former Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State, blamed the traffic situation in Apapa on the withdrawal of the state Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials after the death of a senior officer.
He said LASTMA has been remobilized to the area as well as officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), stressing that there is a dedicated police team protecting the traffic officials.