Apapa Traffic Gridlock, Gov. Ambode promises palliatives

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed deep regret and empathy over the malignant traffic gridlock in Apapa that has made lives unbearable for its residents over the years.

Ambode, while addressing residents and other stakeholders at a town hall meeting in Apapa, acknowledged the failings of the Federal Government and Lagos State Government which he said did not do enough to tackle the menace.
He however promised that, his administration would focus more attention on the Apapa axis in order to alleviate the sufferings of residents.
As part of the measures to provide succour and ease the perennial traffic logjam, the governor announced to the elated residents that his government will build a new truck park that can serve as a holding bay for no fewer than 3,000 trucks at Ijora.
This measure, he observed, will decongest the Apapa roads of the articulated vehicles which cause menace on roads.
Apapa, which hosts two largest seaports in Nigeria, has come under intense pressure and bombardment from container -laden trucks and tankers which daily throng the place to access the ports for business.
This has therefore caused unprecedented traffic gridlock due to the collapsed road network which has been neglected by government over the years.
”I have decided to come to Apapa to feel what the rest of Lagosians have been feeling. We need to talk about it because we will be deceiving ourselves if we don’t talk about it. We have not done enough.” Declared Gov. Ambode who acknowledged the pains the residents and other ports users go through daily.

As part of the palliative measures to address the menace, Ambode said the state government was working on the construction of a truck park named The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Truck Terminal, Ijora, to reduce traffic gridlock in Apapa area.

“We believe it is a strong solution as that terminal, when completed, will be able to accommodate about 3,000 trucks at the same time.

“We will work with security agencies on how we can move the trucks off our roads to the terminal. For now, the terminal can take about 300 trucks but it is being under-utilised.

“We urge truck owners to utilise the terminal to reduce traffic gridlock on the roads in Apapa and Lagos central axis.”

Ambode also said the state government would soon open up the newly constructed roads from Trade Fair Complex to CMS for public use.

“Part of the solutions to traffic gridlock in this axis is the reason we want to open up for use the roads from Trade Fair Complex, Orile/Mile 2 up to CMS.

“Let us start to use the roads we have already fixed. We do not want to wait until we complete the road construction up to Seme,” he said

The governor also said that his administration was ready to employ public-private partnership approach to complete the construction of the roads from Okokomaiko to Seme.

He said the state government could not do it all alone.

The governor also said the state government could not take up the construction and rehabilitation of the Tin Can Island Port road saying it was a federal government road.

“It will not be easy taking up Tin Can road because it was not easy to get approval from the federal government for the construction of the International Airport road.

“And we do not want to take too much projects in to our hands.

“We will support the federal government by offering palliative measures to ameliorate the pains and hardship being experienced by users of the road,” he said.

Ambode, however, promised to commence the urban renewal and regeneration of Ijora- Apapa area.

“Just as we are regenerating Airport – Oshodi axis, plans are ongoing to do the same in Ijora/Apapa area too,” he said.

The governor urged security agencies to ensure sanity in Apapa area by tackling the menace of ‘Okada’ riders.