The gridlock around Apapa which has defied solution for some time now has attracted Governor Ambode’s attention. To this end, he said the state government would take over the ABAT Truck Terminal at Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs on it as part of efforts to permanently address the perennial traffic caused by breakdown of operations at the ports. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.
In keeping with the pledge of rendering account of stewardship and getting feedback from the people on a quarterly basis, Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday, April 17 hosted the 2nd Quarter Town Hall Meeting, the 11th in the series at the Apapa Amusement Park.
In accordance with the tradition of the meeting, developmental strides were again brought to the fore with the focus, this time, on Apapa axis.
The governor, at the inception of his administration, had assured the people of meeting regularly with them every three months to first lay activities of government to bare and then hear from them the areas they want government to focus on in order to enhance governance.
For the governor, it was gratifying that the town hall meeting which had been hosted in all the senatorial zones had helped to put his administration on a sound pedestal to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. He said many of the projects delivered were evolved as an aftermath of the meetings, adding that the real essence of governance is for government to do the right things for the people.
Addressing the residents and stakeholders who gathered at the venue, Governor Ambode said: “This is the fourth time that we are coming to Lagos Central. We have been to City Hall and other parts of Lagos Central but this is the fourth out of the 11 town hall meetings we have had.
“I have equally found out that the moving around through the town hall meetings has helped to enhance governance because, in each town hall meeting, there are issues that are raised that are actually not in the budget or what we plan to do for the people, but when people raise those issues and we end up doing them, it enhances governance.
“The 21 roads and the two bridges we recently inaugurated in Alimosho is fallout of someone coming out at one of the town hall meetings to say we should do Ikola Bridge. So, when we got there, we only wanted to do five roads and the bridge but we found out that the five roads would not make any sense if we did not do the adjourning roads and so it extended to 16 and later 21 roads with additional bridge, Governor Ambode said.
On the gridlock around Apapa which had defied solution for some time now, Governor Ambode said the state government would take over the ABAT Truck Terminal Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs on the terminal as part of efforts to permanently address the perennial traffic majorly caused by breakdown of operations at the ports. He said he was concerned about the hardship residents in the axis were being subjected to as a result of the activities of trucks and tankers moving in and out of the ports and tank farms, hence the decision to hold the meeting in the area to find lasting solutions to the problem.
“I cannot end this address without acknowledging that in Apapa, we have a major challenge; the menace of trucks on our roads and bridges causing endless traffic and loss of business time by Lagosians. This is why we have come here today.
“Effective from today, our government will take over the ABAT Truck Terminal, Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs to make the park ready for use. In the meantime, we will appeal to the Tanker Drivers’ Association to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and co-operate with our Task Force to ensure smooth flow of traffic and better access to the ports.
“We thank the people of Apapa for enduring such harsh conditions but I assure you that this situation will be a thing of the past by the end of this year,” he said.
Governor Ambode further said the ABAT Truck Terminal has a capacity to accommodate at least 3,000 trucks, adding that the government was already working with security agencies to see how some of the trucks parked on the Western Avenue Bridge would be moved into the park.
“Already, we have cleared the shanties and the way we are trying to run it is such that we will be able to accommodate at least 3,000 trucks in the park. In addition, we will work with security agencies and see how we can move the trucks into the park because it can accommodate about 3,000 trucks but the people are not using it.
“I am worried about the Apapa gridlock and that is why I have decided that we should discuss with the people; and also talk to the experts in order to proffer solution,” he said.
The Governor, while responding to complaints from residents on the menace of motorcycle operators, ordered the police and other security agencies to enforce the State Traffic Law, especially with regard to their restriction on major highways and roads so as to bring about sanity at the Apapa axis.
He added that as part of his administration’s efforts to regenerate the axis, Fadaini Road currently in deplorable state would be fixed while Orile-Mile 2-Trade Fair-CMS Road would also be repaired to open up alternative roads for motorists plying the axis.
The Governor said his administration would complete all ongoing projects before next year’s elections so that residents would continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“We give God all the glory for giving us the grace to deliver the projects to our people. But if you ask us whether we have done enough, the answer is no and so we are here for those things we can actually ask the people to tell us about.
“Yes, this is an election year but what we have told ourselves is that we would not stop delivering dividends of democracy to our people. That is why the 2018 Budget is anchored on consolidating on the things that we have started in the last three years so that we ensure that all ongoing projects are delivered and also implement new ones that are all designed to make life comfortable for our people and place the State on trajectory of sustainable growth and development,” Ambode said.
He also urged residents to go all out and collect their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), saying that the state must use the election to confirm its status as the most populous state in Nigeria and thereby help to correct the anomaly in distribution of resources.
“I want to strongly appeal to all Lagosians, this coming election is a different one. We want to define once and for all where the population of Nigeria lies. So, it’s not just about APC or about any other party or people that are not interested, we want to use the PVC to send a message that the real population is in Lagos State.
“Because each time we make our own state to look good, other people coming in and also put pressure on it for us and that’s why we are having too much pressure on our health facilities, our schools and other facilities that we have arranged, but because we have refused to participate in our civic obligations, the long result is the short-changing of the resources that is distributed across Nigeria. I want to appeal to all Lagosians and all party leaders that this mobilisation for the PVC has a longer reach than what you think,” Governor Ambode said.
Assuring that his administration would spare no effort to ensure that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous, the Governor said the prosperity of Lagos would automatically translate to greater prosperity for Nigeria.
“The prosperity of Lagos State is on a positive trajectory. We believe strongly in it, it is our vision and our mission and nobody is going to stop it. If we secure the prosperity of Lagos, we have secured the prosperity of Nigeria. We would use everything within our reach to ensure that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous. Continue to fulfil your obligations and we would do more because that’s how Lagos stands to grow,” he said.
At the meeting, Ambode addressed all issues raised by the people. They ranged from jobs to physically-challenged persons, health challenges, road construction, rehabilitation of schools and noise pollution, among others.
Responding to a complaint by a resident on noise pollution and unruly behaviour of many hoteliers in Apapa, the governor ordered agencies of the state government to immediately arrest the situation and clean up the area.
“We need to commend and appreciate Chief Mrs Onye for being a true and patriotic Lagosian. Against all odds, she came out here to let us know the ills in the society. I will even tell our security agencies to protect her because she has revealed something that is a major menace in Lagos which is about noise pollution and unruly behaviour among most of the hoteliers in this axis.
“Not everybody will be bold enough to do what she has done. We will go straight to deal with the issue once and for all. This is the real essence of this town hall meeting; I would never have seen this in the file. So, let our security agencies, Safety Commission, Commissioner for Special Duties and others go into Apapa and clean it up. We don’t want any noise pollution; we want the people of Apapa to enjoy governance; we want to experience the sanity that others are enjoying. There are rules and regulations on how you can operate and those rules and regulations must be enforced,” the governor said.
On calls by some stakeholders for the state government to take over the repair of Tincan Island Road, Governor Ambode said the state would study the progress of work done by the Federal Government, and would intervene accordingly.
He said: “It is very clear to us that this is a Federal Government road; the little that we can do we have done but we don’t want to create any conflict. You will recall what we went through to take over the Airport Road. We have left the Tin Can side in Apapa to see how far the Federal Government can go.
“The truth is that once a contract has been issued by the Federal Government on a particular project, whatever it is that the State Government does, we will not get any refund because they will tell you that the contractor is already doing it. But since the rehabilitation of the road is more about our people and people living in Lagos, whatever it is that we can do to ameliorate the pains of our people will be done,” He said.
With the 11th Town Hall Meeting over, Governor Ambode will mobilise his team as well as resources to provide solutions to requests made by residents before the next meeting.
