The newly-inaugurated Lagos State Government Task Team on Restoration of Law and Order on Apapa Ports Access Roads has solicited the cooperation Nigerian Shippers’ Council to enable it solve the traffic problem in Apapa.
Chairman of the Task Team; Mr. Toyin Fayinka made the call during a courtesy visit to NSC’s headquarter in Lagos on Tuesday.
Mr Fayinka who is also the Special Assistant on Transportation to Governor Sanwo-olu, said the essence of the visit to NSC was to introduce the team to the Council, emphasising that the committee cannot succeed in its assignment without the support of the NSC, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other agencies in the maritime sector.
Also speaking, General Manager, Lagos Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Jide Oduyoye, who is a member of the team, said LASTMA will not hesitate to sanction any case of indiscriminate parking of trucks on port access roads. He lamented the lack of regulation of truckers and truck ownership, pointing out that most trucks are second hand and unserviceable. He said minimum standards are required for truck drivers and trucks.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, described the Apapa traffic situation as an international embarrassment.
The traffic in Apapa he said, is affecting the efficiency of the port. He assured the team that the Federal Ministry of Transportation has prioritized the solving of the Apapa traffic situation.
Evidence of this, he said is the on-the-spot assessment visit paid to the ports by the Minister; Mr Chibuike Amaechi, the Permanent Secretary; Dr. Magdalene Ajani and other top officials of the Ministry to Apapa in December 2020.
He said the Implementation Committee on the Ministerial Directives to decongest traffic gridlock along the Port Access Roads and Lagos Maritime Logistics Ring would work in tandem with the Task Team as a permanent solution to the Apapa traffic problem will benefit all Nigerians by eliminating the distortions in prices of goods imported into Nigeria.
