29th September, 2023
The Lagos State Government has appealed to stakeholders to embrace the E-Call-Up System, stating that this initiative remains the best solution to eliminate gridlock along the Apapa-Tincan corridor.
The government has also directed the immediate removal of all stationary trucks from the Apapa-Tincan axis and is providing alternative parking spaces for these trucks.
At a meeting in the Ministry of Transportation, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stressed that the cooperation of every stakeholder is vital to the success of the initiative.
He pointed out that the situation at the port and its access roads has increased traffic gridlock, slowed down business, and worsened the condition of the roads, leaving them in a deplorable state.
Osiyemi emphasised that truck parks have been provided to ensure orderliness and strict adherence to traffic regulations. He also noted that discipline on the part of the stakeholders was paramount.
Responding to suggestions by stakeholders present at the meeting, Osiyemi assured them that all proposed ideas would be looked into and acted upon when the need arose.
Additionally, he affirmed that the dry cargo section of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Truck Park at Orile is ready for use, while the wet cargo section of the park will be completed in a few weeks.
In the same vein, the commissioner instructed the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority personnel to station themselves at the base of the bridges and work with the locals to ensure compliance. He assured that palliative works are being carried out all over the state to keep the roads motorable during this rainy season.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, stated that the Governor has given the Ministry of Transportation the mandate to ensure the free flow of traffic on the Apapa axis.
Reiterating the need for all stakeholders to embrace the E-Call Up System, Giwa mentioned that a monitoring team will also be set up to ensure full compliance, with a warning that any vehicle found permanently stationed along the corridor will be removed.
Giwa further revealed that the ABAT Park made available by the state government, as well as other identified parks, have enough space to park trucks coming to Lagos for the purpose of accessing the ports.
He therefore calls for patriotism on the part of stakeholders to fulfil the mandate given by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to rid the Apapa-Tincan corridor of traffic.
‘We therefore call for willingness from stakeholders to collaborate with the government to streamline the Apapa-Tincan corridor; we must work together to clear it’, Giwa declared.
While thanking the stakeholders present for their affirmation in finding a solution to the happenings at Apapa, the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, urged truckers to take advantage of truck parks available for ease of parking.
In response, stakeholders agreed to partner with the state government to implement solutions that would enhance the free flow of traffic.
Some of the Stakeholders present include Call Up Technology Ltd, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association (DAPMAN), the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), among others