Apapa gridlock: Ambode makes fresh appeal to truck owners

Truck owners parking along the Ijora-Apapa Road and Lagos Island areas should utilise the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Truck Terminal in Ijora to reduce traffic gridlock in Apapa area.

Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State made the appeal on Tuesday at the second quarter of the 2018 Town Hall meeting held at the Apapa Local Government Area.

He said the ABAT Truck Terminal which was still undergoing construction could accommodate about 300 trucks at present.

According to him, the terminal can accommodate about 3,000 trucks when completed.

“Our moving the town hall meetings around the various local government areas have helped us to connect with the people.

“It has also helped us to make policies and carry out projects that are based on the needs of the people. This has enhanced governance and delivery.

“I came to Apapa today so I can experience and feel what residents and road users here are feeling in terms of traffic gridlock.

“We want to listen and discuss with the people in Apapa; so we can find a lasting solution to the problem of traffic gridlock in this area.’’

Mr Ambode said his administration had initiated the construction of the ABAT truck terminal in Ijora as part of the solutions to the traffic gridlock in that part of the state.

“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 been under-utilised.

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

Mr Ambode 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 the 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 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.

Mr 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.

Mr Ambode urged security agencies to ensure sanity in Apapa area by tacking the menace of ‘Okada’ riders.

He also urged local government chairmen to work with the traditional rulers in their areas to ensure security and sanitation.

Earlier, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, advised the state government to set up a police post inside the ABAT truck terminal to ensure security there.

He also advised the government to utilise and work with the traditional rulers Obas’’ and community leaders “Baales’’ and chiefs in the areas of revenue generation, sanitation and crime reduction.

According to him, the traditional rulers also have roles to play in ensuring crime reduction and cleaner state.

Some of the Apapa residents urged the state government to set up a fire station in the area for prompt response to emergencies.

They also urged the state government to work with the Federal Government to fix the Lagos Tin Can Road to reduce traffic in the area.

They also lamented the menace of noise pollution caused by hotel owners in the area.

(NAN)