RTEAN, MWUN Urges F.G To Fix Port Roads Before New Year

Even as the year gradually comes to end in line with the emerging dry season, a call has gone to the Federal Government and the Ministry of Works to fix the bad spots on the Apapa- Oshodi Express road leading to the seaports in Lagos.
In two separate interviews conducted by our correspondents, the Maritime Workers Union Nigeria [MWUN] and the Road Transport Employers of Nigeria [RTEAN] both lend their voices to the present state of the roads leading to the seaports, even as they said that the emerging season is the right time to fix the bad roads.

Even as the year gradually comes to end in line with the emerging dry season, a call has gone to the Federal Government and the Ministry of Works to fix the bad spots on the Apapa- Oshodi Express road leading to the seaports in Lagos.
In two separate interviews conducted by our correspondents, the Maritime Workers Union Nigeria [MWUN] and the Road Transport Employers of Nigeria [RTEAN] both lend their voices to the present state of the roads leading to the seaports, even as they said that the emerging season is the right time to fix the bad roads.
Chairman Tin Can Island Chapter, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria [RTEAN]; Isiaka Olalere said that port operations are gradually winding down for the year and there is the need for the federal government to use the opportunity to fix the roads leading to the two ports in the state.
He said if the federal government could repair the roads before the New Year, it will encourage smooth flow of cargoes in and out of the ports thus the port will not experience congestion in the first quarter of 2013.
Olalere added that as a result of the bad roads, lives are being lost, pointing out that rampant cases of containers falling on cars have made the roads to be a menace to the stakeholders in the maritime industry.
However, the RTEAN chieftain reiterated that the wasted hours spent on the roads leading to the ports needs to be addressed before the end of the year 2012.
“The road leading to the two ports in Apapa are terrible and since we are already in dry season, government should come in to fix the road because this is the right time to do it”.
“There are low operational activities at the port, trucks and trailers coming into the ports have reduced due to the festivities, thus government should fix the roads”.
In a similar reaction, the former chairman of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (Liverpool Branch), Comrade Peter Ojalatan  told our correspondent,  that  whenever the talks of the Oshodi- Apapa road comes up, it underwhelms him.
He added that the road has become a death-trap for those who ply the road, not to talk of the roads leading to the ports.
Ojalatan however urged the federal government to take a drastic measure to see to the repair of the roads so as to ease the flow of traffic which will also reduce or stop the frequent   accidents on these roads as well.