Apapa gridlock not unsolvable, says Lagos

The Lagos State Government on Friday said it would continue to engage relevant stakeholders until gridlocks being experienced in the  Apapa-Port area was totally eradicated.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, stated this during an interactive meeting with relevant stakeholders, including officials of Nigerian Port Authority, on the permanent solutions to Apapa gridlocks at the Ministry of Transportation, Alausa, Ikeja.

Giwa said despite the success recorded in managing traffic around Apapa with the introduction of ‘Eto’ system to petroleum tankers, the government was still working to resolve other challenges to ensure that motorists had seamless movement.

The Special Adviser maintained tha the government was trying to establish a process that would be seen as fair and beneficial to everyone no matter the delay.

He said, “When the road is free, motorists will move freely without traffic and tankers turnover will be high.

“Traffic causes health, security and other social problems.

“The administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is discussing the involvement of the private sector in providing parking space where tankers could temporarily park while awaiting their individual call-up for loading.”

Officials at the meeting subsequently set up a committee tasked with accommodating other stakeholders into the ‘call-up’ system introduced to encourage orderliness parking among tankers and to provide an holistic solutions to the entire perennial traffic problem around Apapa.

Comrade Kilanko Solomon who represented NUPENG commended the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation for working to ensure free flow of traffic around Apapa and other parts of the state.

He said his association was ready to cooperate with the Lagos State Government in providing a lasting solution to the perennial traffic around the Apapa-Port area.

Other stakeholders at the meeting include officials of NPA, MOMAN, PTD Lagos Zonal Command, NUPENG, STIC, Ardova Plc, Conoil and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.