Sanwo-Olu Assures of End to Apapa Gridlock Soon
*Says final solution lies in building another port
New Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Thursday promised a short term measure to address the Apapa gridlock.
Sanwo-Olu who described the gridlock as multi-faceted said it required a joint effort between the federal and state government to address.
Inspecting the traffic in the area, the governor said, “we must thank the Federal Government for setting up a Presidential Taskforce that will work with the state government to resolve the gridlock in Apapa.
“The facility is owned by the federal government but the users are Lagos citizens. We have discovered that the problem of Apapa is multi-faceted; one agency cannot resolve the issue.”
The governor said that the truck terminal being developed at Lily Pond terminal will be able to take 1000 trucks when completed.
“They have started moving the trucks there but the movement is not fast enough. “Once they do that, all the trucks on the Ijora Bridge, and others within that axis can utilize it”.
He expressed concerns that though the Wharf road has been completed, trucks still park there.
According to him, “ We realised during the tour that NPA and Dangote have worked on the wharf Road up to the Apapa Port but it is sad that trucks are still parking on the road”.
Sanwo-Olu also said that the state government will be reaching out to the agencies of government to get them push up the date for the commencement of demurrage charges.
He also assured that the Tin Can Island truck park is expected to be ready by next month, adding that it has capacity for 1,000 trucks.
The governor also said that a committee is working on providing other smaller terminals to take trucks.
But he said that the final solution to the Apapa gridlock was in building another port.
According to him, “ we need to build another port. It is a long term solution. We will take it upon ourselves, with the support of the NPA, to develop the Lekki and Badagry ports.”.
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