The Lagos State Government in its determination to decongest traffic usually caused by tankers and containerized trucks and ensures that motorists drive with ease on Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, has sought for an holistic approach from all stakeholders.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa who said this while on an inspection tour of Apapa – Oshodi Expressway to ascertain other causes of traffic usually witnessed on this important corridor, said that in order to properly tackle the traffic problem, the Lagos State Government would soon convey a Stakeholders meeting.

Opeifa said that the stakeholders meeting becomes necessary because with the ongoing inspection exercise presently undertaken by the State Government on Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, it has been discovered that the cause of traffic bottleneck on the axis is multifaceted.

He said that aside from the indiscriminate parking of tankers on Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, it has also been discovered that the closure of the access gate at the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Tin Can Island Port to containerized trucks and the long time spent by these truck drivers who usually spent between 3 to 7 days on queue before they could offload the containers which belong to the Ports is another major cause of traffic.

The Commissioner said that the heavy presence of these trucks and the long time in which the drivers spent at the Ports had contributed in damaging the federal roads and  made roads such as Creek road, Commercial road and Wharf road amongst others to become impassable for other road users.

Opeifa called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency repair these roads in order to alleviate the sufferings of the people and allow them to have easy access to their various homes.

He urged the management of Nigeria Port Authority and Tin Can Island Port to devise means in ensuring that only those trucks that are programmed to offload are the ones that would be at the Ports at a particular time and that such trucks are attended to immediately. He added that the Ports should also provide adequate space within its compound to accommodate as many trucks as possible.

Opeifa also implored the Nigeria Police to remove those vehicles arrested at Area B Police Station, Apapa which were parked on the roads to occupy the bus stop, to a safer place which would not hinder human and vehicular movement.

The Commissioner who commended the efforts of the officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for doing a good job in Apapa especially at Trinity Bus stop said that the Lagos State Government would continue to do its best in ensuring that Lagosians have easy access to their homes and that the drainages which were usually blocked by the tankers and truck drivers are cleared.

The Commissioner who also visited Thisday Newspaper commended the efforts of the media in disseminating information on the traffic situation on Apapa – Oshodi and ensuring that there is free human and vehicular movement on the axis.

At Ibru Tank Farm, Apapa, Opeifa sought for more cooperation and collaboration from Tank Farm owners, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the management of Nigeria Port Authority and Tin Can Island Port, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Independent Marketers and other stakeholders on the corridor in order to ensure that traffic along Apapa – Oshodi Expressway becomes a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Mr Ayodeji Joseph who accompanied the Commissioner during the tour, urged the Federal Government to provide a holding bay outside Apapa for truck drivers and that it should ensure that all the roads blocked and damaged by truck and tanker drivers are accessible to the people.

He said that in spite of the efforts of the local and state governments to ensure that there is free flow of traffic on Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, the activities of the truck and tanker drivers have been found to be hindering the easy movement of Lagosians.