The Lagos State government and the military have handed out a
48-hour ultimatum to truck owners, whose vehicles have lined up roads in
the state to move them or face the full weight of the law.
The decision was the outcome of the meeting with stakeholders,
especially truck owners, tank farm owners and members of the National
Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), which was convened
to find a lasting solution to the problems of traffic on Lagos roads,
particularly in Apapa, Mile 2, Ijora and Kirikiri.
Speaking during the meeting, the representative of the Lagos State
government and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Mr. Taiwo
Olufemi, lamented the parking of heavy duty trucks on bridges within the
state.
He lamented the inflow and heavy presence of articulated vehicles into
the Lagos-Apapa ways, explaining that the port was built for only 30
million metric tons of cargo but now carries 80 million metric tons.
He said there was need to clean up Apapa no matter whose ox is gored.
Earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral
Slyvanus Abbah who was chairman of the meeting lamented the influx of
tankers and trailers, explaining that terrorists could take advantage of
the chaos to attack Lagos.
Apart from the environmental hazards caused by the trucks who park
indiscriminately on bridges, he explained that in a situation of
national emergency, the reaction time for the military could be
hampered.
For instance, he said that to move troops from Navy town in Kirikiri to
Apapa, which ordinarily should take 25 minutes may take up to two hours
due to the gridlock caused by trucks who spend days waiting for their
turn to load fuel.