Apapa gridlock decongestion to begin ‘in next few weeks”

The decongestion of the traffic gridlock that has become a permanent feature of the Apapa axis of the Oshodi-Apapa expressway will begin in the “next few weeks,” Hadiza Usman, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, has said.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos shortly after a meeting with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday, Ms. Usman said her agency’s partnership with the state would focus principally on decongesting the Apapa gridlock as soon as possible, the success of the Lekki Deep Sea Port project, and others.

“We discussed various areas of cooperation and one of the priorities was the decongestion of the Apapa area,” Ms. Usman said of her visit to the governor.

“We have looked at the priority activities that we need to do to decongest the area and we would proceed with that in the next few weeks.

“There are several partnerships that exist and we intend to forge ahead with them. We have the Lekki Deep Sea Port development which both Lagos State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the NPA have shareholdings.

“We believe that it is a project which we need to take forward within the shortest period. We have reaffirmed our partnership and commitment to drive the project and we want to do that within the shortest period.”

In his speech, Mr. Ambode expressed confidence in the ongoing efforts to permanently resolve traffic congestion in the Apapa axis due to activities at the Port. He restated his administration’s commitment to restore the glory of the area.

The governor said Lagos, being the commercial nerve centre and a city surrounded by water, deserved more than one port, adding that his administration would not hesitate to partner with and support the NPA to succeed in whatever form needed.

“We have had issues about movement of cargo and every other vehicular movement that relates to traffic congestion in the Apapa axis,” Mr. Ambode said.

“And I think with the new management in charge of NPA, a whole lot of things will be resolved so quickly and I am very glad that this is the way we have decided to go and we will support everything to make Apapa a place that we will all be delighted to speak about.”

Mr. Ambode commended the NPA for investing in the Lekki Deep Sea Port project, saying that there was no doubt that such partnership would go a long way in driving more investment into Lagos.