In a long-awaited move expected to bring respite to anxious residents and motorists in Lagos, the Federal Government, on Wednesday Morning, directed the immediate removal of all trucks from bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the axis of the state.
Consequently, a statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, said: “operators of trucks and tankers have also been directed to vacate the Port access roads within the next 72 hours.”
The directive, he said, which is also in line with the need for the country to improve on its ease of doing business ranking, followed an emergency meeting convened by President Muhammadu Buhari and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on April 25, 2019, to proffer lasting solutions to the gridlock around the Lagos Ports, as the traffic congestion continued to restrict all operations and livelihood in the area.
A Presidential Taskforce, chaired by Vice President Osinbajo, which will directly to the President, was established to restore law and order to the area within two weeks, with terms of reference including the development of an efficient and effective management plan for the entire port area traffic, including the cargo, fuel distribution and business district traffic.
The taskforce will also enforce 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.
There is also the implementation of a workable Empty Container Return and Export Container Truck Handling Policy, amongst others.
Members of the taskforce include Kayode Opeifa, former Commissioner of Transport in Lagos State, who will serve as the Executive Vice Chairman; a representative of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC); the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
Other members include a special unit of the Nigeria Police Force led by a Commissioner of Police, representatives of the Truck Transport Union, the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and other relevant MDAs.
The meeting was attended by key heads and representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, including the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; and representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral B.E.E Ibe-Enwo. Also at the parley were: the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Salaam Taiwo Olufemi; and the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Sokonte Davies, among others.
As part of the resolutions at the meeting, the Nigerian Navy 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 has been authorized to move into Apapa as the lead traffic management agency, while the NPA 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 the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and all other security operatives are to ensure their officers’ adherence to the new directives.