There are strong indications that a new taskforce to monitor , control and enforce complaints on road users along routes connecting the two seaports in the state is in the offing..
Shipping Position Daily can confirm authoritatively that the committee comprises of truck owners association, the Lagos State government, the construction company that is handling the reconstruction work and trade unions from the oil and gas sector.
There are strong indications that a new taskforce to monitor , control and enforce complaints on road users along routes connecting the two seaports in the state is in the offing..
Shipping Position Daily can confirm authoritatively that the committee comprises of truck owners association, the Lagos State government, the construction company that is handling the reconstruction work and trade unions from the oil and gas sector.
Confirming the new development to Shipping Position Daily Correspondent in Lagos , yesterday, Executive Secretary , Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO); Barrister Emmanuel Gowon, noted that the committee is set up to look at the immediate and remote causes of the lingering traffic gridlock in recent time.
According to him, the committee has agreed on remedial measures to be taken to create orderliness by commuters and other road users along the Apapa Oshodi expressway, pending when a near permanent solution will be found.
He further disclosed that the committee is expected to meet to draw a road map on how to address the traffic challenges faced by stakeholders.
He revealed that officials from his association, NARTO, the office of the commissioner for transport, Lagos State ,Julius Berger Nigeria Limited and the Petroleum Tanker Driver (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union (NUPENG) make up the taskforce committee.
Gowon reiterated that as part of efforts to provide a permanent solution to the traffic problem along the seaports access routes, there is the need for government to provide parking space for the maritime trucks.
The Executive Secretary added that NARTO and the PTD arm NUPENG are in the forefront of ensuring that there is orderliness on the port’s routes.
"We cannot tell the vehicle owners to leave the roads completely rather we can only try to maintain orderliness", he said.
He stressed that the committee was set up last Wednesday in Lagos because stakeholders were asked to present representatives; even as he disclosed that the federal ministry of works is also included in the committee to ease the traffic gridlock.
Speaking further, he said that the committee has nothing to do with individual; rather it is for critical stakeholders who have a stake on the ever-busy road.
He stated that the taskforce has already monitored the situation from Marine Beach to Coconut Bus Stop.
When asked why Julius Berger Nigeria was included in the committee, Barrister Gowon revealed that "Julius Berger is part of the committee because the construction work partially led to gridlock, but we can not say they are doing it deliberately because they are doing their legitimate work on the road, but it caused the gridlock as well"
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