As sanity finally returned to the once- chaotic Apapa –Oshodi expressway in Lagos, stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector have commended the performance of the committee led by presidential special Adviser on Monitoring and Performance, who also doubles as the Chairman of the presidential Monitoring committee of port reform, Professor Sylvester Monye and the Lagos State Government for the successful removal of the vehicles from the road.
As sanity finally returned to the once- chaotic Apapa –Oshodi expressway in Lagos, stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector have commended the performance of the committee led by presidential special Adviser on Monitoring and Performance, who also doubles as the Chairman of the presidential Monitoring committee of port reform, Professor Sylvester Monye and the Lagos State Government for the successful removal of the vehicles from the road.
A cross section of industry stakeholders who spoke to Shipping Position Daily on Monday, after the committee’s assessment visit of the road, stated that it is difficult to believe what has transpired on the ever-busy expressway as they drive freely to the port to carry out their business.
According to them, the government has created an opportunity to accelerate business activities in the port, and that the attainment of the 48- hour clearance deadline is close by.
The General Manager Operations, Five Star Logistics Limited, Captain Jon Jon Peters while fielding questions from newsmen said that it is the first time he is seeing the free movement of cargoes in and out of the port.
‘’ In my 15 years in Nigeria, this is the first time that I have seen so clear and absolutely free, and with that the port can experience free movement of cargoes in and out of the ports. Before now the clearing of cargoes from the port was been delayed but with this ,I must commend the people in charge because now we can all see that cargoes have been moving freely out of the port which in turn will lead to less congestion at the port’’, he observed.
According to Captain Peters, the company will continue to give commendations and support to the government in all ramifications to ensure growth in port operation.
Also responding, a frontline licensed customs agent, Chief Achike Molokwu agreed that it is incredible for government to successfully evacuate all the articulated vehicles from the expressway, noting that it is the right step in the right direction.
Molokwu called on the state and the federal government to position government agencies on the highway in order to sustain the success recorded so far.
He added that with the development, the era of port congestion is a thing of the past, stressing that the customs target of N1.2 trillion is now achievable.
According to him, the spill- over of vehicles along the expressway has constituted to the slow movement of cargoes out of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
‘’ I only hope that this will continue because we all know that Apapa and Tin Can ports are the gateway to the economy. Customs is talking about N1.2trillion target and the big question is how they achieve it when the roads have been polluted with vehicles, so I think the federal government and the state government have really done well to address the traffic problems on the roads’’, Molokwu stated.
On his part, a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), PTML Chapter, Olorogun Andrew Ugwi said that the recent development will boost international trade and aid free flow of cargoes out of the Lagos ports.
According to him, a lot has been lost in the maritime sector, as a result of the articulated vehicles on the expressway leading to the port.
However, he commended the combine effort of the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government for bringing sanity back on the Apapa Oshodi expressway.
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