BREAKING: Clear-Up The Apapa Gridlock Within 2 Weeks – Buhari

Earlier today, the Nigerian Presidency issued a directive for the immediate clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order in its environs within 2 weeks.

Apapa is home to 2 of the nation’s active seaports – the Apapa Port Complex and the Tin Can Island Port.

Traffic gridlock at the Apapa axis of Lagos state has been a major cause for concern as it has made doing business at the seaport and the surrounding environment tedious.

A Presidential Taskforce, to ensure compliance to this directive will be chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

In a statement released via a series of  tweets on the Twitter handle of the Nigerian Presidency, it stated thus:

NOTICE: A Presidential directive has been issued for the immediate clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order to Apapa and its environs within 2 weeks.

The directive mandates the immediate removal of all trucks from the bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the Apapa axis.

To facilitate this important assignment, operators of trucks and tankers have also been directed to vacate the Port Access Roads within the next 72 hours.

This directive follows an emergency meeting convened by President @MBuhari and chaired by Vice President @ProfOsinbajo on the 25th of April, 2019.

The meeting proffered lasting solutions to the gridlock around the Lagos Ports, as the traffic congestion has continued to restrict all operations and livelihood in the area.

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At the meeting were key heads and representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, including the Honourable Minister of @FMPWH, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola; Inspector General of @PoliceNG, Mr. Mohammed Adamu; representative of the Chief of @NigerianNavy Staff, Rear Admiral B.E.E Ibe-Enwo; Permanent Secretary, @followlasg Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Salaam Taiwo Olufemi; and the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, @nigerianports, Dr. Sokonte Davies, among others.

Consequently, a Presidential Taskforce, chaired by Vice President @ProfOsinbajo was established to restore law and order to the area within 2 weeks.

The Taskforce, which will report directly to the President, has included on its Terms of Reference the development of an efficient and effective management plan for the entire port area traffic, including the cargo, fuel distribution and business district traffic; enforcing the permanent removal of all stationary trucks on the highway, and the development of an effective manual truck call-up system, pending the introduction of the electronic truck call-up system..

It also includes the implementation of a workable Empty Container Return and Export Container Truck Handling Policy, amongst others.

Members of the task forceinclude Mr. Kayode Opeifa, former Commissioner of Transport in Lagos State, as the Executive Vice Chairman; a representative of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC); @nigerianports, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).

Other members include a special unit of the @PoliceNG led by a Commissioner of Police, representatives of the Truck Transport Union, the Lagos State Government @followlasg through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (@followlastma), and other relevant MDAs.

The @NigerianNavy and all other military formations have also been mandated to withdraw from traffic management duties in and around the Apapa axis, while military and paramilitary checkpoints in front of the ports and environs are to be dismantled.

In addition, LASTMA @followlastma has been authorised to move into Apapa as the lead traffic management agency, while @nigerianports is to commence the immediate use of the Lilypond Terminal and Trailer Park A as a truck transit park.

The directive further mandates compliance by all security personnel and MDAs, while heads of @nigerianports, @CustomsNG, @FMPWH, and all other security operatives are to ensure their officers’ adherence to the new directives.