By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

ABUJA—Disturbed by the recurring and perennial traffic gridlock along the Oshodi-Apapa Express-way, Senate has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, commence the reactivation of rail lines at Apapa ports for evacuation of petroleum products.

Standstill at Mile-2 to Tincan, along Oshodi-Apapa expressway yesterday. 

It asked Lagos State government to collaborate with Federal Government agencies to end the present gridlock.

It also, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to consider long-term plans and expansion of the Apapa-Ijora-Iganmu-Orile-Mile 2 access trunks as well as the Apapa Tin Can-Mile 2 -Oshodi corridor, adding that government should move in and address the problem in the interest of the economy.

These resolutions were sequel to a motion by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central), entitled The Apapa Port Gridlock, and Co-sponsored by 106 senators.

The Senate also resolved that when constituted, the Senate Committee on Marine Transport should summon the leadership of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA; Nigerian Shippers Council; Ministry of Works and Transport; Western Naval Command; National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW; Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, and police to dialogue on how to tackle the menace of traffick gridlock.

Earlier, Senator Tinubu, while moving the motion, said: “75 percent of Nigeria’s trade is ship-borne and shipped through the Apapa ports, where cargo and petroleum products bearing trucks regularly cause gridlock on Apapa-Mile 2 and Apapa-Oshodi corridors.”