Isiaka Olalere (JCOST)
Isiaka Olalere (JCOST)
The only solution to the gridlock is that there should be holding bays for trucks because when you have them in large numbers within the state then the problem of traffic gridlock will be a thing of the past. The shipping companies on their parts don't have holding bays. Many of them don't have where trucks can park with empty containers. The ports’ main roads are dead zones as we speak and there is need for government to urgently address the roads. Again the roads are too small considering the volume of heavy duty trucks that ply them. But above all, relocation of the tank farms from Apapa will be the best solution.
Prince Emmanuel Offiong (Stakeholder)
For the tank farms to be relocated out of Apapa will take another five years or more, therefore there is need for government to fix the refineries and create more holding bays within those places where the refineries are located in order not to experience what we are faced with in Lagos. Again , the roads to the ports in Apapa are narrow and there is need to look for alternative measures in addressing the gridlock. Government should also ensure that the Warri , Calabar and Port Harcourt handle petroleum products, so that some tankers can go to those places to lift products and with that Lagos jetties and ports can handle less number of trucks to lift products and with that traffic can be reduced on our roads.
Chief Isaiah Okonkwo (Vice Chairman NAGAFF)
The gateway to the two seaports are extremely bad, which means that the only way out aside the tank farms’ relocation is the nature of the bad roads to the seaports. Government needs to repair the roads because without finding a lasting solution the roads. I don't think the traffic gridlock will disappear. Also there is need for the government to expand the road, then indicate, which lane should be for heavy duty trucks, which will be for cars and those meant for motorbikes with strict enforcement from both state and federal government and with that there will be some level of sanity on the roads leading to the gateway to the economy. It is abnormal for all sizes ,shape and class of vehicles to access the ports.
Abiodun Ajewole (Commercial Bus Driver)
Government needs to apply stringent measures for the various drivers that ply the routes to Apapa because apart from the bad roads, the drivers are vehemently stubborn. It cut across; the tanker drivers, trailer drivers, car owners, okada riders and even the law enforcement agencies are all to be blamed in the traffic gridlock faced on the expressways leading to the two ports. I think we all need to be sensitized by the government on how to make use of the road because the roads in question is narrow considering the level of heavy duty vehicles that pass the roads. Government also needs to fix the roads and apart from that, they should introduce when trucks and other heavy duty vehicles should access the ports to lift cargoes, so that smaller vehicles and buses can easily connect the roads leading to the ports with ease.
Dr. Frank Ukor (President, AREFFN)
Moving the tank farms away from Apapa will be a very huge and difficult task, it will be difficult because you have to consider the caliber of people who own these tank farms, they are the movers and shakers of this country, the people that sponsor most of the elections?, I don't see any President that will have the will to relocate them, even the Lagos State Government cannot do anything about it. In the alternative, the best thing would have been to arrange a park outside of Apapa, it can even be in form of public-private partnership where the tanker drivers can park and when they are ready to load they will go there, if they are not called to load there is no need parking on the road, and if they want to load, let them do it at night, I don't see any armed robber standing to rob a tanker in the midnight, there is a way of tracking the product to know where it is located.
Comrade Badmus Tajudeen (NUPENG, Ascon Oil unit)
Any truck that breaks down on the highway, LASTMA officials should be stationed permanently at the tank farms to drag them away, if the traffic officials are not there, drivers will use the opportunity to start repairing their? broken-down trucks on the highway and that is how the traffic will start building, if the union decides to come in, our jobs are different and there might be problems. The relocation of tank farms is not the ultimate solution, if this is done, the same traffic situation might still continue to occur, but if the task force is in place, they are the ones that can maintain sanity, all we need is adequate monitoring.
Fidel Aisodionne (Petroleum Marketer)
The problem that is affecting us in Lagos and Nigeria at large is indiscipline, ?if all operators are disciplined and road users are disciplined, the traffic situation would be less in Apapa, it is not an issue of relocating the tank farms, it is pure indiscipline on the part of the truck drivers, tanker drivers, bus drivers, the local sand dredgers and their tippers. Broken down vehicles are supposed to be cleared by LASTMA or Road Safety, but when was the last time you saw any of them at the tank farms? They are not doing anything. It took the concerted effort of the union to clear the road immediately after the governor of Lagos State visited last week. I was among those that assisted in the exercise, we started around 5a.m, many of the trucks left and they have been asked to go to their various locations and wait until they are called, there is product to sell at the various tank farms in volumes, but we asked them to go to ensure sanity, we asked them to go to a safe place to stay. However, before today the union had established a task force to clear the road, but government on its own should deploy two or three towing trucks to the Apapa area so that broken down trucks can be removed immediately. The major thing is for Nigerians to be disciplined.
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