Despite the ongoing road construction of Apapa – Oworoshoki expressway in Lagos , management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) , Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing FMWH have expressed dissatisfaction over the inhuman behaviour and waste disposal along the port corridors.
It was gathered that contractors of the road beautification are unable to commerce work side by side with the construction due to indiscriminate dumping of all manners of waste along the Berger Auto market down to – Liverpool axis.
The government institutions lamented that the waste disposal along the road has affected the proposed beautification of the corridor which was in the original master plan of the construction work as executed by Messrs. Dangote Limited.
Speaking at a joint inspection on Thursday , along the corridor, Port Manager TCIPC , NPA, Mallam Buba Jubrin told our correspondent that all hands must be on deck to address the anomalies noting that the road must be completed on time.
CEO,Arabella Landscape Ltd (Yellow top) during the inspection on Thursday
The Port Manager assured his guests the Managing Director of the NPA will be notified in furtherance to act swiftly to clear the refuse from the road in conjunction with the relevant bodies of the state government
According to him, NPA will work closely with the FMW and Housing and the Lagos State Government in addressing the bad condition of the corridor.
He noted that the setbacks can be attributed to lack of collaboration between the contractors and NPA adding that the Port Authority was not carried along in the ongoing project.
The Port Manager also noted that since the elections are over,the next line of action should be the completion of the project .
He stressed the need for the government officials and the various contractors to make progress on the road adding that the synergy would solve the anomalies.
On his part, Director, Highway, Federal Controller of Works, Lagos , Engr. Umar Bakare noted that the project runs from Gbagada, hence progress has been recorded in that axis.
Bakare added that the projects are in phases but maintained that the port corridor has been discouraging with the arbitrary disposal of refuse.
While responding CEO, Arabella Landscape Ltd
Babatola Akinkugbe, maintained that the Liverpool axis was a bid sanitized against what was seen at the Coconut Sunrise end of the road.
The contracting firm boss under the Ministry of Works and Housing, noted that the general state of the port corridors was not impressive adding, indiscipline and abuse on the road by
Nigerians over waste disposal was responsible for the present condition of the road.
He added that the indiscriminate refuse dump along the road was an eyesore, even as he further stressed the need for law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone found dumping refuse along the corridor.
Akinkugbe expressed optimism that “If Oshodi is cleared by the government, then the port corridor wouldn’t be an issue.
He stressed that” Once the contractors get access to work, then the problem on the road will be half solved.
By Roland Ekama
