FILE: VP Osinbajo flown over the Apapa gridlock for aerial assessment of the situation, a week ago. Source/tweeter
Buhari’s Ultimatum on Apapa Gridlock has Been Fruitless
Almost a month after President Muhammadu Buhari issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the gridlock in the area of Nigeria’s Apapa port to be evacuated, the situation in the area appears worsening.
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2 Yrs on, Buhari orders vehicles evacuated around Lagos Port in 72hrs
The President on May 21, gave a task team headed by Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Vice Chairman, comrade Kayode Opeifa to ensure that the road is cleared within 3 days. Osinbajo and Opifa have been on ground with other team to clear the route but to no avail.
Following apparent inability of task team to really tackle the problems within earlier two weeks ultimatum, the Presidency, last weekend, renewed the directive for another two weeks.
The Lagos State Government has urged motorists to steer clear Mile-2 to Tin-can Island Port, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, today, Monday, June 17, 2019, in order to allow for repair works on the bad portion of the road.
Vanguard reports that the situation has been worsened by the deplorable state of the road, which had made movement of vehicles practically impossible. Those motorists who dare pass through the bad road often get stuck or have their container fallen in the case of containerized vehicle.
State’s Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Taiwo Salaam, who announced this, in a statement, in the early hours of today, said the road would be shut for 48 hours.
Salaam stated that the closure would be effected to allow construction company speed up the palliative repair works on the corridor due to incessant and avoidable accidents experienced by motorists.
He therefore, urged all truck drivers to avoid the corridor to allow the repair works which is being done in the interest of motorists. He stated that those repairs and so many others that were in pipeline was in consonance with the top rated plans of the administration of Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to make Lagos traffic free for its teeming citizenry.
Following road rehabilitations and activities of truck owners in the busy Apapa, Lagos, that axis of the state has remained locked-down by almost immovable vehicular traffic.
ALSO READ: Gridlock on Apapa Lagos Axis Persists for 4 Months
Anyone who’s driven through Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, will have come up against its notorious traffic jams.
Apapa, a district near some of the city main port, is arguably the worst place of all.
The roads are usually lined on both sides with container lorries parked up and waiting to get into the port.
This gives cars only a single lane to drive on.