The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

  • Hell on earth

    Motorists and residents along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway have described the Federal Government as insensitive to their plight. Some even claim there is no government in place, otherwise why should the expressway remain impassable for nearly a decade? Clearly, Nigerians living and doing business along that expressway are paying hugely for the gross incompetence of the Federal Government to maintain the road to the Apapa and Tin Can ports, from which it generates millions of dollars annually.

    We agree that the Federal Government has been complicit in dealing with the challenges facing motorists and residents along the expressway. While past governments allowed the road to deteriorate and also sold the parking spaces in the ports, the present government has had enough time to ameliorate the challenges. It is the failure to keep even recent promises by the present government that has led to the lamentations of motorists and residents on the road.

    Unless in a war time, why should the gateway to the nation’s two major ports be impassable? And to make matters worse, the Federal Government has been slow in getting other ports across the country ready for business. In fact, it is unbelievable that instead of making our ports business-friendly, the maritime industry in Nigeria is in ruins, while that of our neighbouring countries are booming. With our ports inaccessible, importers prefer to use other ports, while they smuggle goods into our country.

    After an outcry last year, the Federal Government set up a task force made up of the military and para-military agencies to restore sanity on the road. Unfortunately, that measure has yielded very little. Indeed, the occasional succour which the task force provides has become a source of controversy, with the truck drivers accusing them of extortion before they are allowed to gain access to the ports.

    To compound the challenge, the highways have become a living quarters for many drivers. They defecate, bath, cook and play on the highway. The bad eggs amongst them mug other motorists and rape women on the road. With their long vehicles parked on the road, other motorists are forced to do time there, like prisoners. A journey which ordinarily should take a car 20 minutes from Oshodi to Apapa, sometimes takes as long as 24 hours; while the truck-drivers spend weeks to access the ports.

    Many who supported the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari consider it a monumental tragedy that nearly four years since he assumed power, the criminal neglect of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway by the past regimes persists. While his government has shown promising signs, the hardship has not abated. Agreed, the concrete asphalt of the Iganmu-Apapa end was completed last year, there is little or no action on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, and the suffering can only get worse with the rains coming.

    To genuinely lay claim to be a democratic government, the Federal Government must find a solution to the gridlock on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. The promise to deliver a new truck park at Tin Can and Orile Iganmu must be delivered by the Federal Government without further delay. After all, it was the sale of the ports to private companies without sparing a thought for where the tankers and trailers waiting to discharge or load goods will park that has compounded the crisis.

    Regrettably, the promise to deliver rail lines, to relieve the trucks and tankers  plying the route has not materialised. While the people continue to groan, the economic losses continue to soar. With utmost haste, the Federal Government must move to save the lives and economy of those living along the Oshodi-Apapa E xpressway.

  • Osinbajo assures on reconstruction of Apapa-Oshodi expressway in two weeks

     Ambode shuts down illegal terminal in Ajegumle

    Orders removal of trucks in 24 hours

     

    Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has assured that the anticipated reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway would commence within the next two weeks as part of the Federal Government’s resolve to finding lasting solution to the chaos in the Apapa axis.

    Osinbajo spoke at a dialogue with stakeholders on the Apapa traffic congestion at the Officers Mess of the Western Naval Command in Apapa on Thursday.

    The Vice president was acccompanied by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, among others

    He said the Federal Government was already looking into the issue of infrastructural renewal, especially with the state of roads in Apapa, adding that approvals for the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and other major roads linking the Apapa Tincan Ports and tank farms would be concluded within the next two weeks.

    The VP, who also led others to inspect the Apapa axis, said there was no excuse on the part of the Federal Government on the state of affairs in the area, noting that aside the economic implications, it was also an important residential community that must be allowed to thrive.

    “We have been working quite hard now to get approval for road construction. Among the roads are the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Mile 2- Liverpool roundabout which are important roads but they have been delayed but I am personally working to ensure that we could get that through and we are trying to look at immediate solutions that can be done and how the process could be expedited to achieve results.

    “I can guarantee that we will get all the approvals done. I don’t think that it should take us more than two weeks to get the approval so that we can begin the work. There are so many other bad areas, especially the coconut area in front of Tincan Port, the Leventis to Wharf Road is also another area we are looking at, the rehabilitation of the Creek Road so that we can have a two lane access into the ports and all of those are important roads and all of them are Federal roads, so we have a responsibility to ensure that these things are done,” Osinbajo said.

    On the situation with Ports across the country and the need to decongest the Apapa Tincan Ports, the Vice President listed insecurity as one of the major issues preventing the Ports in Port Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar and others from operating, he however, added that the Federal Executive Council had recently approved a security arrangement in the Ports to enable them function optimally.

    “A few weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council approved a maritime security arrangement for all of those areas and that has already been deployed. So we expect that as soon as the security architecture is laid out, we should be able to use those Ports frequently and that would of course decongest the Apapa Tincan Ports,” Osinbajo said.

    Addressing other issues involving the movement of cargo from the Apapa Ports, the Vice President said the Federal Government was in talks with a concessionaire to rehabilitate the narrow gauge rail, which according to him, will aid the quick movement of goods pending the construction of a standard gauge.

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    “As Mr. President had directed, what I intend to do, is that we should meet as frequently as possible. We have already drawn up some roadmap and a check list of the various things that we need to do in the next couple of weeks to ensure that we are able to ease the situation around here and make it more decent for people to live in this community and work in this axis. It is important for us as a country and commercially also and we are definitely committed to making sure that it works,” Osinbajo said.

    Speaking shortly after an on-the-spot assessment in the Agejunle area, Governor Ambode wielded the big stick and ordered the immediate shutting down of Climax Bonded Terminal in Ajegunle, saying that their operation was not only illegal but also causing untold hardship to residents in the area.

    Ambode, who was saddened by the situation in the area shortly after an on-the-spot assessment, directed that the terminal and other adjoining areas be closed, while the trucks parked around the terminal be evacuated within the next 24 hours.

    He said that there was no record from the State Government showing that the operators of the terminal were authorised to convert the property for such purpose, warning that the State Government would not fold its arms and allow flagrant abuse of its building laws to the detriment and safety of residents.

    He said the decision to shut down the place was in furtherance to the need to protect residents from imminent dangers which such building portends, saying that the primary responsibility of the Government was to protect lives and property.

    “You guys are causing me a lot of havoc. So, as far as the Lagos State Government is concerned, Ajegunle remains a residential area. I have crosschecked from all the ministries and officials, there is no approval from the Physical Planning for you to use this neighbourhood which is residential as a bonded terminal and then I understand that you are extending to Awodiora.

    “I don’t want to do too much problem with your owner, but whoever is the owner would have to come to the Ministry of Physical Planning. I have the duty to protect all the citizens of Lagos State, I will not allow anything you have called Bonded Terminal to reside in a residential area and I need to protect my people,” Ambode said.

    Speaking further, the Governor said the presence of trucks parked on the single lane road in the Ajegunle axis was subjecting residents to long hours in traffic and other attendant menace to the environment.

    “It’s bad enough that the roads here are single lanes and then I’ve gone round the whole Ajegunle axis and I’ve seen all the trucks all over the place, so I take over all the places called bonded terminals in Ajegunle from this moment, I shut this place down and all the agencies concerned should take my instructions, I do not want to ever see this place opened again including all the other places that they have put the terminals and other places they have procured, I would not authorize any place that is residential as a Bonded Terminal.

    “Tell the Commissioner of Police, tell others, every person here must evacuate in the next 30 minutes and in all the other locations that they have put in place, they remain under lock and key until I say otherwise. Including Customs, including everybody, tell the CP and the Naval people, I don’t ever want to see it open again. All the trucks that I’ve seen across this axis, in the next 24 hours, I don’t want to ever see it here again and all the other places they have placed them, the Government Monitoring Unit and tell the Director DSS, I don’t want to see anybody here again. Whatever it is that they have put here, I would only open it when they are willing to take all these trucks away from here and that’s my instruction,” the Governor said.

    Also in his remarks at the dialogue with stakeholders, Ambode said the meeting was critical as the situation had become a national emergency that required all levels of government to work together to save the economy of the nation and also restore the glory of Apapa axis.

    “I want to reiterate my commitment to say that whatever it is that is assigned to me as part of the resolutions that Lagos State should do, we are committed to doing it and we would also cooperate with the Federal Government and every other stakeholder to make sure that we have a permanent solution to this Apapa crisis,” the Governor said.

  • Berger to complete Apapa-Oshodi Expressway repair next week

    Berger to complete Apapa-Oshodi Expressway repair next week

    The ongoing rehabilitation of Berliet to Ilasa section of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway will be completed next week, construction giant Julius Berger said yesterday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode mobilised the firm to site last month following public outcry over the state of the road.

    When NAN correspondents visited the site yesterday, grading, asphalt lay, earth works and reconstruction of drainage channels were going on simultaneously.

    A Julius Berger engineer at the site, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the firm was carrying out emergency repairs on the highway.

    “This is not a contract but an emergency repair being undertaken by the Lagos State Government. We have worked on 1.5 kilometres of road so far and we are also reconstructing this drainage channels that have collapsed. We have been on site for about three weeks and should complete the work in a week’s time from now. We have no challenges because we have been able to deploy adequate manpower and equipment to site,” he said.

    A source in the Federal Ministry of Works told NAN that the ministry was working with the firm on the project.

    “It is the governor that directed Julius Berger to carry out the work and we are supportive. It is our road and Lagos State Government needs our permission for access,” the source said.

  • Assembly seeks pedestrian bridge on Apapa-Oshodi expressway

    Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday urged the Federal Government to provide a pedestrian bridge at Toyota Bus Stop on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    The House also called on Lagos State Government to put road signs and zebra crossing on strategic areas of the road and ensure motorists’ compliance.

    The resolution followed a motion brought under Matter of Urgent Public Importance by Jude Idimogu from Oshodi Constituency 2. The lawmaker said many road users have died, while crossing the road.

    He said it was imperative for the states and Federal Government to do something about the road, where he said many lives were lost daily.

    Supporting him, Desmond Elliot form Surulere Constituency 2, said he lost his mother-in-law on the road while crossing when she went to buy foodstuff at Daleko Market.

    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said: “It would be impossible for the Lagos State Government to provide the bridge, especially this year as it was not catered for in the budget. It is a Federal Government road, but the state government can provide palliatives.

    “We must ensure that motorists are made to obey the road signs that would be provided on the road for the benefit of our people.”

  • RRS nabs suspect robbing drivers on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

    RRS nabs suspect robbing drivers on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

    The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos Police Command said it had arrested a suspected member of a gang which specialises in robbing broken-down trucks on the Oshodi – Apapa Expressway.

    This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Lagos RRS Commander, Mr Olatunji Disu.

    The statement said that the suspect, Bayo Folayemi, 27, who claimed to be living under the Mile 2 Bridge, was arrested after his partner, now at large, removed a wallet from a truck driver’s pocket.

    “The victim’s articulated vehicle broke down on the highway, and in the course of repairing it, the suspect and his gang demanded money from him.

    “The suspects started to maltreat him. One of them dipped his hands into the driver’s back pocket and removed his wallet which contained N4, 500.

    “When the victim noticed that his wallet had been stolen, he held on tightly to the suspect who was still dragging him on with his trousers, and then shouted for help.

    “Immediately, the RRS policemen on patrol arrived the scene and arrested the suspect while the others escaped,’’ the statement said.

    The statement quoted the suspect as saying that his involvement in forceful extortion from truck and lorry drivers was his only means of survival.

    It said that the suspect had been transferred to the office of the Lagos State Task Force on Environment for necessary action.

  • Navy, NPA, others unveil plan to free Apapa road

    Navy, NPA, others unveil plan to free Apapa road

    STAKEHOLDERS  have suggested the way out of the perennial gridlock on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

    They called for a routing system for containerised and petrol tankers and the optimal utilisation of the holding bay in  Apapa Ports to address the problem.

    They took the decision at an enlarged meeting held in the boardroom of NNS Beecrooft at the Navy Yard in Apapa, Lagos.

    At the end of five-hour session, the chairman and convener of the meeting, NNS Beecrooft Commander, Commodore Ovenseri Emmanuel Uwadiae said light is at the end of the tunnel, if decisions are enforced.

    According to him, the stakeholders are determined to complement the efforts of Julius Berger Plc, which the Federal Controller of Works confirmed, has resumed work on the Apapa Road.

    Uwadiae, who describe the meeting as successful and exhaustive, said the gridlock  was unacceptable given the centrality of the area to the economy and home to the busiest port in the country.

    He said representatives of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Police, and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), among others, agreed that freeing the area would be good for business.

    He said while LASTMA has been charged with ensuring an effective routing system, NPA will handle the optimisation of the holding bay at the ports which seem to be operating below capacity.

    Other decisions reached, he said, were  the need for the NPA to direct concessionaires at the ports to increase their capacities to prevent   congestion, and the allocation of a column of the road for any truck intending to load or offload at the ports and the tank farms. Uwadiae added that any truck found outside the approved column would be towed.

    The fifth resolution was for tanker and truck unions to stop the collection dues at the ports’ general areas, which, according to Uwadiae, have been discovered to be a major cause of delays and gridlock.

    Uwadiae said the stakeholders were happy to get on with their respective assignments which he assured would lead to the reduction in travel time within Apapa. He said the meeting, a continuous exercise, would hold again  in a  fortnight to access the extent of compliance by all concerned.

    Responding on behalf of other stakeholders, LASTMA’s General Manager Mr. Babatunde Edu said while the stakeholders would adhere strictly to the decisions reached at the meeting, LATMA would continue to do all within its powers to ensure the free flow of  traffic in and around Apapa and the tank farms.

    “We would work more on the areas discovered at this meeting for the purpose of ensuring that things work as planned. Traffic is a work in progress and we are determined to ensure a reduction in travel time from what presently obtains. We are happy that Julius Berger has expressed its readiness to come and repair the road, we shall work with them to manage the traffic along with their scheduled plan of action. Once this is done, we will not have any gridlock,” Edu said.

  • Tanker drivers issue ultimatum on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

    Tanker drivers issue ultimatum on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

    etroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), an affiliate of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has given the Federal Government two months to fix the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway to avoid fuel scarcity.

    PTD National Public Relations Officer Comrade Adebayo Atanda, said though the union is not contemplating a strike, it might be impossible to access the tank farms along the axis and lift the petroleum products if the roads are not mended.

    Atanda said if the rain continues with  the same intensity it has been falling in recent weeks, it might not take more than two months before the road fails and Apapa becomes inaccessible.

    He said: “When this happens, we might not be able to do our business of lifting these petroleum products because we may not be able to access the depots talk less of lifting petroleum products; if we all realise the importance of the centrality of this road to the entire country as the only road from where fuel is moved to every part of the country, then its repairs should be given the urgency it deserves.”

    According to Atanda, 56 tank farms are located in Lagos State alone, out of which 35 are located along the Kirikiri, Trinity junction axis along the wharf/Tin can road.  This is where the condition of the road are most deplorable, causing extreme inconvenience to residents, tanker drivers and other road users.

    He said the PTD is worried because that is the only road plied by all its members nationwide. “Petroluem tankers come in from every part of this country to lift fuel from these tank farms, most of which were along the largest in the country and these tank farms were specifically permitted to be in this axis because of its closeness to the wharf, so there is so much pressure on the road as a result of the heavy commercial and industrial activity that cluster around the port, which is the busiest in the country.

    “We have been told that the contract for the road repair has been awarded to Julius Berger but in the last one year when we have been told that they have been on this road, we are yet to see them around Apapa, and the Wharf area. They are yet to get to any of these tank farms and these are areas that their activities are most needed. That is why we are suggesting that maybe another contractor would be assigned to this area or government would direct them to make the Kirikiri/Wharf a priority on their rehabilitation programme,” he added.

    He said PTD has often been at the butt of criticisms as residents and the government usually find it convenient to blame members of his union for creating problems on the road. At a time, he explained, the state government approved that his men could be parking only on service lanes, but these lanes are now so bad that they can no longer serve the purpose thereby forcing the drivers to get back on the road.

    As part of the union’s corporate social responsibility, his members, he further stated, usually carry out remedial works on the road, sandfilling the depressed spots with crushed stones and rubbles, but these do not stand the test of time because of the pressure on the road.

    He urged government to move swiftly and address the deplorable road in order to reduce the suffering of the people, especially his men, who according to him, are sitting on flammable products and to whom the roads have become a very grave danger.

    Besides regularly fixing the road, the union, he added, constitutes a task force to manage traffic especially around all the tank farms and depots within the area, and these have helped greatly in minimising traffic gridlock around Apapa.

    He thanked the Lagos State government for setting up the Drivers Institute, which his members have been patronising for regular refresher driver trainings, a development that has helped greatly in reducing the carnage on the road.

    “On our part we complement this training with a thorough implementation of safety regulations of our members and we also have vehicle inspection officers at various depots who ensure that not only are the trailers road worthy at every trip, they equally ensure that any driver manning those trailers are duly certified and qualified to be behind the wheels,” Atanda said.

    However, while admitting the slow pace of work, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Oluwatoyin Obikoya, said work on the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway has reached 38 per cent completion.

    Obikoya, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria recently, said the high volume of vehicles, indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles and reckless driving have slowed down the pace of work.