Stakeholders have met in Lagos and agreed on a number of measures to tackle traffic gridlock, port congestion and other problems in Apapa and its environs.
They met with the three-in-one Minister, responsible for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, who called for the collaboration of all of them to face the lingering crisis in the area. The meeting was held recently in Lagos.
Among those at the meeting were the three financiers of the ongoing Apapa Wharf Road reconstruction project in Surulere – AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, Flour Mills of Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Others were National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), among others.
After extensive deliberations, the stakeholders agreed to resolve issues of logistics and regulation of truckers and port operations.
They called on shipping companies to return to the system of using their loading bays and effective call up systems to end port congestion.
The meeting also advised AP Molar Multi Terminal (APMT), whose cargo operations take hours, to emulate the operations of Port Terminal Multipurpose Ltd (PTML) which have perfected the art of evacuating cargo within minutes.
They agreed that emergency interventions should be carried out on the roads around Coconut bus stop area and some other bad portions of the road.
Resolving to have another inclusive meeting to carry Shippers, government regulatory agencies and other stakeholders who were absent at the gathering along to evolve permanent solutions, Fashola advised the stakeholders to organise forums where they could proffer solutions to the problems and make recommendations to government to speed up solutions on various issues.
The minister stressed the need to put other ports in the country to use to reduce pressure on the two major ports in Apapa and promised to work with his transport counterpart, Mr Rotimi Amechi, to involve the rail sector in finding solutions.
He called for sacrifice on the part of the various stakeholders as the Yuletide season is approaching to ensure speedy solution to all the problems.
During this period when everybody is sacrificing something, Fashola said, “Let us sacrifice, it is an exchange, everybody must sacrifice.
This is not about us, it is about everybody,” assuring that procurement process for the Oshodi Tin Can Island road was ongoing.
Earlier, the Minister had inspected ongoing rehabilitation works at Costain and its environs, which he told journalists was to ensure smooth roads during the festive period.
Honorary adviser to the Dangote Group, Mr. Joseph Makoju said that Dangote was handling and co-funding the Apapa Wharf Road reconstruction project as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Makoju said it was painful that the project was being misunderstood by both the public and a section of the media who make negative remarks against the Dangote Group instead of commending the group for giving back to society.
He explained that the Dangote Group also suffered from the problems of gridlock and other problems caused by port congestions as it affected their businesses and other operations as well.
He added that the company was ready to tackle all problems that related to the construction raised at the forum and deliver the project within one year.
“We give our assurances that we will deliver and we need your understanding,” he said.
Managing Director, AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, contractors handling the project, Mr Ashif Juma, said that there was massive deployment of men and equipment to site as the rainy season ended and added that by November, significant visible progress would be seen in the construction.
Juma explained that it was not easy to work on old roads because some unexpected problems usually came up in the midst of the project.
He added that the firm was working closely with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (FMPW&H) on the project and that work tempo would double in November.
“We will work two shifts seven days a week. We cannot do this work without your help,” he told the other stakeholders.
The NPA on its part promised to begin enforcement of traffic regulations in port areas which include Oshodi, Babs Aminasaun, Costain and Ijora Olopa road areas,
It would be recalled that Fashola, on June 17, 2017, signed the N4.34 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the reconstruction of the four kilometres Apapa Wharf road with AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd and other companies.
The project is being funded by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Flour Mills of Nigeria.
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