Stakeholders and key port operators at Tin Can Island Port, Apapa in Lagos have started viewing the ongoing selective road repairs tagged palliative repairs by the federal government as unacceptable and not capable of salvaging the rot on the axis.
It would be recalled that due to massive public outcries, the government which has begun full reconstruction on the Apapa-Wharf wing of the port access expressway, decided to do palliative repairs on the Tin Can axis.
According to the General Manager, SIFAX Off Dock Limited, Mr. Oliver Omajuwa, “the devastating loses posed by the deplorable state of the Tin Can–Coconut port access road have become unbearable and only a clear cut reconstruction will salvage the situation.
To him, only road reconstruction rather than mere palliative can restore port operators’ confidence on concerns on the road.
In a statement weekend, the company said the appeal to the Federal Government became necessary based on the on-going palliative measures currently embarked upon by different stakeholders.
Omajuwa averred that “With the deplorable state of the Coconut access road, there has been tremendous delay in container transfers from various ports where we receive consignments.
“This has resulted in loss of revenue as the company cannot charge client until containers are successfully received at our terminal.
“For every day containers are delayed due to the bad access road, bonded terminals operating around lose revenue in storage, idle man-hour, electricity power wastage, because the terminals must be powered whether the containers come in or not, overtime and inconvenience allowances to staff as well as other mobilization costs to various groups and agencies”, he stated further, noting that it has gradually become more difficult for businesses located around the Coconut axis to operate, as their bottom line is daily eroded with various interventions on the road.
“Currently, once every two weeks, SIFAX Off Dock provides its own palliative on the road by filling some bad portions (Coconut & Sunrise axis) with about 50 truck-loads of hardcore stones and sometimes when container-laden trucks are stuck in the craters on the road, the company moves out its equipment such as reach stackers and others to salvage the situation.
“The palliative measures currently embarked upon by stakeholders around the axis are not moving as expected. The road is in an epileptic state and it’s already threatening the existence of all businesses around Coconut area.
“Although the government has handed over the reconstruction of the road to Dangote Construction Company starting from Oworonshoki, I want to urge, as a matter of urgency, that the reconstruction of the stretch of road should start at the coconut axis.
“This is necessary because when the rainy season comes, businesses will be forced to shut down and this would amount to revenue loss for the government and private companies while workers would also not be spared as job loss usually comes with failed businesses,” SIFAX Off Dock Limited boss averred.