Senator Summons NPA boss, others over Apapa gridlock

 Senate on Tuesday mandated its committee on Marine Transport, when constituted, to invite the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Shippers Council and the Federal Ministries of Works and Transport to fashion out way out of tackling the gridlock in Apapa Port.

This followed a motion by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and 106 others on the Apapa Port gridlock.

Tinubu in her lead debate noted that 75 per cent 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.

The lawmaker added that the trucks also pack on bridges and flyovers for days and weeks.She expressed her concern that the perennial log jam on all access roads in the Apapa maritime corridor has resulted in telling consequences on the country’s economy.

The senator regretted the obvious non-compliance of the world class and notable local marine operators with the 25 years Lagos Port concession terms to modernise port facilities, provide free flowing shipping activities is responsible for the sustained incidence of traffic lockdown of the Apapa shipping corridor.

She observed that the Apapa Port terminals are critical integral part of “our national inter-modal transportation chain that bear directly on Nigeria’s maritime/economic activities.

Senator Oluremi said she was mindful of the huge national security, human and environmental risk of the present traffic situation in the Apapa maritime axis, arising from deadly fumes and falling containers as a result of bad roads.

The lawmaker prayed the Senate to direct its Committee on Marine Transport when constituted, to invite the management/leadership of the Nigerian Port Authority, The Nigerian Shipping Council, and the Federal Ministries of Works and Transport.

She also prayed that the Western Naval Command, the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, The Nigeria Police and others should be summoned to dialogue on the way out .

She equally prayed the Senate to urge the Federal Government to immediately consider long-term plans for technical re-design and expansion of the Apapa-Ijora-Iganmu-Orile-Mile2 access trunck as well as the Apapa-Tin Can-Mile 2-Oshodi corridor.