Apapa gridlock: Lagos Govt seeks FG intervention; Police, others begin ‘Operation Restore Sanity’ Friday
By Folasade Adeniran/ Mateen Badru
The Lagos State Government on Thursday sought the intervention of the Federal Government in enforcing the rule that all haulage operators must have designated parks immediately.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, made the assertion in Lagos on the chaotic traffic situation in the state.
Bamigbetan sympathised with commuters and residents of Apapa and other parts of the state over the lingering gridlock created by trucks and articulated vehicles.
He expressed sadness over the difficulties faced by motorists and commuters seeking the use of the Apapa-Oshodi Highway and other routes leading to the ports.
The commissioner assured residents that the state government had directed security agencies to deploy their officers to the areas to further control traffic and bring immediate succour to the people.
Bamigbetan said President Muhammadu Buhari had assured Lagos State that the Federal Government would tackle the matter decisively, noting that the latest hardship made the much needed intervention extremely imperative.
He blamed the renewed congestion on the recalcitrance of owners and drivers of tankers and trucks to fully comply with the subsisting directive that restricts their movement within the state.
Bamigbetan also attributed the worsened situation to the ongoing industrial action by a section of workers at the Apapa ports.
According to him, this has slowed down the pace of goods clearance as well as the pace of repair works on the roads leading to the ports, most of which are federal roads.
Bamigbetan said the recent rehabilitation of the trucks park at Orile Iganmu, with capacity to take 3,000 trucks, showed the commitment of the state government to address the enormous traffic challenge.
He urged the haulage stakeholders to save residents from the threat of carnage on the highways by adhering to the directive and also invest in truck terminals themselves.
The commissioner regretted that the ongoing rehabilitation of roads in Apapa and its environs and the efforts toward sanitising truck entry procedures had pushed the trucks to other parts of the city.
He said this was all because the haulage operators had continued to illegally turn major roads to parks, thereby using public facilities to increase their private profit.
Bamigbetan said that the state government would not allow its highways to be turned to death traps, calling for speedy delivery of the roads under reconstruction within the axis.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command and other relevant agencies are to begin ‘Operation Restore Sanity’ on Friday to free Apapa of gridlock, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, said on Thursday.
Eggal, after meeting with representatives of some stakeholders in Lagos, told newsmen of the planned operation, describing the Apapa gridlock as a “national disaster’’ which called for concern.
“The problem which gave rise to the sorry state of roads linking the ports is not limited to mere blocking of roads or activities of tank-farms with no holding bays for trucks.
“It will be irresponsible and wicked to allow Lagosians to continue with the hardship without coming up with a joint effort to ease the flow of traffic.
“This is why we have sat together with relevant agencies to launch “Operation Restore Sanity on Lagos Roads” which will kick off on Friday by midnight.
“The police will be deploying 1,000 policemen as the operation will be to move trucks and containers from bridges and roads to designated locations for ease of traffic.
“This operation needs a lot of manpower and requires cooperation of all sectors in charge of transport.” he said.
Edgal commended Lagosians for their patience, promising that the patience would pay off in a matter of days.
“Between now and Monday, there will be free movement of motorists, and Lagosians will have easy access to their work and homes.
“On Monday, we will go to another level of engagement with relevant authorities so that we don’t have a repeat,” he said.
The police chief further appealed to maritime workers to shelve their impending strike and make room for dialogue, so that Lagosians can move freely.
The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr Wale Musa, also said he was aware of the pain which the gridlock was causing Lagosians, assuring that the problem would be resolved.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the representatives of the 9th Brigade Commander, FRSC Sector Commander, and Commandant, NSCDC, alongside Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers with jurisdictional responsibilities in the affected gridlock areas and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Lagos State were in attendance.
Officials of NUPENG, who volunteered 50 men, members of NARTO, who volunteered 50 men and truck owners, who volunteered 50 men to join the task force for the operation, were also present.
The NSCDC, FRSC, LASTMA, LASEMA and the Nigerian Army also agreed to provide men to join the operation.
