The Federal Government has ordered the immediate removal of all trucks from bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the Apapa axis to clear the gridlock in the area.
This directive follows an emergency meeting convened by President Muhammadu Buhari and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN where the council proffered lasting solutions to the Apapa gridlock as the traffic congestion has continued to restrict all operations and livelihood in the area.
According to a press statement issued from the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president will chair the Presidential Taskforce saddled with the responsibility of restoring law and order to the area within 2 weeks.
Members of the taskforce include 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); 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.
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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.
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 authorised 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.