APAPA TRAFFIC: LAGOS TAKES OVER 3000-CAPACITY TRUCK TERMINAL IN ORILE-IGANMU
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi
Ambode on Tuesday said that the State Government would immediately take over
the ABAT Truck Terminal Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs on the
terminal as part of efforts to permanently address the perennial traffic in
Apapa axis majorly caused by breakdown of operations at the ports.
Governor Ambode, who disclosed this
at the 2nd Quarter 2018 Town Hall Meeting, the 11th in
the Series, held at the Apapa Amusement Park, said he was seriously concerned
about the hardship residents in the axis were being subjected to as a result of
the activities of containerized trucks and tankers moving in and out of the
ports and tank farms, hence the decision to hold the meeting in the area to
find lasting solutions.
“I cannot end this address without
acknowledging that in Apapa, we have a major challenge; the menace of trucks on
our roads and bridges causing endless traffic and loss of business time by
Lagosians. This is why we have come here today. To see for ourselves and find a
solution.
“Effective today, our government
will take over the ABAT Truck Terminal Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate
repairs to make the park ready for effective use. In the meantime, we will
appeal to the Tanker Drivers Association to conduct themselves in an orderly
manner and cooperate with our Task Force to ensure smooth flow of traffic and
better access to the Ports.
“We thank the people of Apapa for
enduring such harsh conditions but I assure you that this situation will be a
thing of the past by the end of this year,” he said.
Governor Ambode said the ABAT Truck
Terminal has a capacity to accommodate at least 3000 trucks, adding that the
government was already working with security agencies to see how some of the
trucks parked on the Western Avenue Bridge would be moved into the park.
“Already, we have cleared the
shanties and the way we are trying to run it is such that we will be able to
accommodate at least 3,000 trucks in the park. In addition to that, we will
work with security agencies and see how we can move the trucks into the park
because right now the park can accommodate about 300 trucks but the people are
not using it.
“So, if I tell you that one of the
areas that I always feel very bad about is this Apapa gridlock and that is the
truth and that is why I have decided that lets bring all our resources
together; let's discuss with people; let's also talk to the experts and see
what is happening there,” he said.
The Governor, while responding to
complaints from residents on the menace of motorcycle operators popularly
called Okada riders, ordered the Police and other security
agencies to enforce the State Traffic Law especially with regards to their
restriction on major highways and roads so as to bring about sanity in the
Apapa axis.
He added that as part of his
administration’s efforts to regenerate the axis, Fadaini Road currently in a
deplorable state would be fixed while Orile- Mile 2- Trade Fair- CMS Road would
also be repaired to open up alternative roads for motorists plying the
axis.
Besides, the Governor while alluding
to the fact that the 2019 election is fast approaching, said his administration
would nonetheless complete all ongoing projects in the State and continue to
ensure that residents enjoy the dividends of democracy.
He also urged residents to go all
out and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), saying that the State must
use the election to confirm its status as the most populous State in Nigeria
and thereby help to correct the anomaly in distribution of
resources.
“I want to strongly appeal to all
Lagosians, this coming election is a different one. We want to define once and
for all where the population of Nigeria lies. So it's not just about APC or
about any other party or people that are not interested, we want to use the PVC
to send a message that the real population is in Lagos State.
”So the duty of all of us is to say that before any census,
there is one census, the census of votes and that PVC, so it becomes a finality
that the real population is in Lagos State and that is why we must encourage
each and every one of us to push ourselves if it is door to door or house to
house, in our various groups and unions to ensure that they go out and get our
PVC.
“Because each time we make our own
State to look good, other people coming in and also put pressure on it for us
and that's why we are having too much pressure on our health facilities, our
schools and other facilities that we have arranged, but because we have refused
to participate in our civic obligations, the long result is the shortchanging
of the resources that is distributed across Nigeria. I want to appeal to all
Lagosians and all party leaders that this mobilization for the PVC has a longer
reach than what you think,” Governor Ambode said
Assuring that his administration
would spare no effort that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous, the
Governor said that the prosperity of Lagos would automatically translate to
greater prosperity for Nigeria.
“Without mincing words, the
prosperity of Lagos State is on a positive trajectory. We believe strongly in
it, it is our vision and our mission and nobody is going to stop it that if we
secure the prosperity of Lagos, we have secured the prosperity of Nigeria.
Everything that we need to do to ensure that every Lagosian has something to do
is what this government is committed to do. We would use everything within our
reach to ensure that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous. Continue to
fulfill your obligations and we would do more because that's how Lagos stands
to grow,” Governor Ambode said.
APAPA TRAFFIC: LAGOS TAKES OVER 3000-CAPACITY TRUCK TERMINAL IN ORILE-IGANMU
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