Shippers’Council Describes Apapa Traffic Situation As International Embarrassment

On Feb 11, 2021

The Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, has described the Apapa traffic situation as an international embarrassment.

This , he disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen during a courtesy visit by the Chairman of the newly-inaugurated Lagos State Government Task Team on Restoration of Law and Order on Apapa Ports Access Roads , Mr. Toyin Fayinka to NSC’s headquarter in Lagos.

The traffic in Apapa he said, is affecting the efficiency of the port, even as assured the newly-inaugurated team that the Federal Ministry of Transportation has prioritized the solving of the Apapa traffic situation.

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Evidence of this he said is the on-the-spot assessment visit paid to the ports by the Minister, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi, the Permanent Secretary Dr. Magdalene Ajani and other top officials of the Ministry to Apapa in December 2020.

Bello said the Implementation Committee on the Ministerial Directives to decongest traffic gridlock along the Port Access Roads and Lagos Maritime Logistics Ring would work in tandem with the Task Team as a permanent solution to the Apapa traffic problem will benefit all Nigerians by eliminating the distortions in prices of goods imported into Nigeria.

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Earlier , Mr. Fayinka who is also the Special Assistant for Transportation to Governor Sanwo-olu said the essence of the delegation’s visit to NSC was to introduce the team to the Council, emphasising that the Committee cannot succeed in its assignment without the support of the NSC, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other agencies in the maritime sector.

He also solicited the cooperation Nigerian Shippers’ Council to enable it solve the traffic problem in Apapa.

General Manager, Lagos Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Jide Oduyoye, who is a member of the team, said LASTMA will not hesitate to sanction any case of indiscriminate parking of trucks on port access roads.

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He lamented the lack of regulation of truckers and truck ownership, pointing out that most trucks are second hand and unserviceable. He said minimum standards are required for truck drivers and trucks.

Embarrassment