Apapa-Oshodi Expressway: Fashola orders LASTMA, Taskforce to manage traffic

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

LAGOS—Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday directed the officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) to manage the traffic gridlock in Apapa.

Fashola, who spoke after inspecting the level of traffic on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the ports, said the state would work with all stakeholders to ensure that normalcy returns to the Apapa central Business District, CBD.

According to him, “The state government will look into the matters concerning the 51 hectares of land raised by the transport unions. But in the meantime, we will keep our men here-LASTMA, Taskforce and others to manage the traffic; to ensure that business activities can thrive again.”

The governor had last week assured the residents of improved traffic in another seven days.

The governor said since last week Sunday and today (yesterday) we have made some progress. We have established one-lane compliance on Creek road and access to the ports.

File: Apapa Oshodi road completely shut down

He blamed the traffic gridlock on lack of proper management of oil distribution and ports activities, saying “I believe that everyone has a role to play. Even the transporters have their own role in addressing this issue. The state is an orphan under the country’s federal structure.

That was why we have always taking our destiny into our own hands.
”The entire problem they (Federal Government) has created, we have ended up solving them. But we need your (Transport unions) cooperation as well. We need to do business with conscience and to think about people who live here and are not gaining any money from here.”

Fashola however took a swipe at the Federal Government over what he described as ‘mismanagement’ of the entire activities in Apapa CBD, “I wonder why everything is falling into pieces under this Federal Government.”

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (left), listening to Mr. Aloga Ogbogo, General Manager (Admin) of Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO (right); as Chief Remi Ogungbemi, President, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, (2nd right) and others during Governor Fashola’s visit to Apapa/Oshodi Expressway and Wharf to check compliance of Truck, Tankers Drivers and Owners, at Wharf Gate, Apapa, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

The governor lamented that mismanagement on the part of the central government has paralyzed activities in Apapa Industrial Estate and has forced businesses to relocate from the axis.

He noted that the management of Apapa Ports and the industrial Estate was one of the oldest ports and the first industrial estate in the country. But rather than improve, things are getting worse.