FG Includes Apapa Roads, Holding Bay in 2017 Budget

The Federal Government may have finally included rehabilitation of the dilapidated Apapa port access roads and the completion of the Tin Can Island truck holding bay into the 2017 budget.
The Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman who dropped the hint in Lagos promised that the dilapidated port access roads will be fixed in the coming year, as the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, has incorporated some of the projects in the 2017 budget.
She assured that palliative works have been carried out on the roads by Julius Berger Construction Company through the Federal Ministry of works power and housing so as to ensure easy movement of cargoes out of the port.
Expressing commitment to make the port access road motorable again, Usman said: “On the ports access road, we have given timelines and deadlines to the respective agencies. On the Wharf Road, we have concluded discussion with Dangote and Flour Mills on mechanism to fixing the road, taking into consideration the need for drainage. The final drawings will be submitted to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in four weeks, whereby the Ministry will conclude on the framework in which the road will be built. The Ministry will communicate the details to the public when they are ready.
“We have also discussed extensively and gotten the Creek Road and two other roads within Apapa into the 2017 budget by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the minister has confirmed that they would be in the 2017 budget and they will be constructed within that period.”
The NPA boss however lamented the nonchalant attitude of truck drivers who deliberately abandon their trucks on the roads in the bid to get clients and cargoes.
She assured however that the NPA is in constant dialogue with the truck owners associations, especially the Chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO); Chief Remi Ogungbemi on the need to sensitize his members and move out of the way.
She said that the Tin Can Island Holding Bay when completed would be managed by a private firm and it would be controlled electronically.
"The challenges we have noticed in the area is the need for holding bays for the trailers, the ministry of works power and housing have also confirmed that the holding bay they were building at the Tin Can Port has also been placed in the 20017 budget"
"Some of the trailers seen on that road are just there because they don't want to park at a garage, we are putting a mechanism in place whereby a trailer can only be on the road if it is verified to be going to lift a cargo, if you are not verified you need to be inside the holding bay" she said