Apapa gridlock: Senate harps on long-term solutions

Worried by the perennial logjam on all access roads in Apapa, Lagos, Nigerian maritime corridor, which has resulted in untold consequences on the nation’s economy, the Senate has urged the Federal Government to consider long-term plans for technical re-design and expansion of the Apapa-Ijora-Iganmu-Orile-Mile 2 access trunks.

This came as the Senate rejected a prayer urging maritime players and operators to build satellite truck/trailer parks with capacity that could take not less than 10,000 vehicles at a time.

It, however, urged the Federal Government to consider long-term solutions for the Apapa/Tin Can-Mile 2-Oshodi corridor.

These were resolutions of the Senate at Tuesday’s plenary, following a motion sponsored by Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central) and co-sponsored by 106 others.

The Senate further directed its Committee on Maritime Transport when constituted, to invite the management/leadership of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Federal Ministries of Works and Transport, Western Naval Command, the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Nigeria Police to dialogue on the way forward.

Furthermore, it urged the NPA to immediately re-activate rail links from the Apapa Port for evacuation of containers and petroleum products through rail, and called on the Lagos State government to collaborate with Federal Government agencies in finding a short-term solution to tackle the gridlock.

Analysts say the Apapa Port terminals are integral part of national inter-modal transportation chain that bear directly on Nigeria’s maritime/economic activities.

BusinessDay reports that 75 percent of Nigeria’s trade is ship-borne and shipped through the Apapa Port where cargo and petroleum products bearing trucks regularly cause gridlock on Apapa-Mile 2 and Apapa-Oshodi corridors.

In her presentation, Tinubu expressed regret that the non-compliance of the world-class and notable local marine operators with the 25 years Lagos port concession terms to modernise port facilities, was responsible for the sustained incidence of traffic lockdown of the Apapa shipping corridor.

On his part, Senate president, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, said the motion was timely in view of the loss of man-hour, which had cost implication on the nation’s economy.

He called on relevant agencies to find short-term and long-term solutions to the , saying “the relevant stakeholders should also look at how the railway will be used to convey containers and petroleum products as well as moving of petroleum products through the pipelines.

“If the pipelines were working there would be no need for a tank farm in Apapa as we have today. When committees are constituted, the committee responsible would oversee this issue for a lasting solution,’’ he said.

The Senate also received a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari requesting the confirmation of Nurudeen Kangiwa, as commissioner representing Kebbi State in the National Population Commission (NPC).