by Kingseyi Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:09 pm…As Ambode Shuts Down Illegal Terminal In
Ajegunle
…Directs Removal Of Trucks From Area Within
24 Hours
…VP, Gov Meet Stakeholders, Resolve To Find
Permanent Solution To Gridlock
Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo on Thursday assured that the
anticipated reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi
Expressway would commence within the next
two weeks as part of the Federal Government’s
resolve to finding lasting solution to the chaos
in the Apapa axis.
Osinabajo in an aerial assessment of the
Apapa traffic for situation
File photos
Osinbajo, who spoke at a dialogue with
stakeholders on the Apapa traffic congestion in
company of the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi
Ambode; Minister for Transportation, Rotimi
Amaechi; Managing Director of Nigeria Ports
Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, among
others, held at the Officers Mess of the Western
Naval Command in Apapa, said the Federal
Government was already looking into the issue
of infrastructural renewal, especially with the
state of roads in Apapa, adding that approvals
for the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway and other major roads linking the
Apapa Tincan Ports and tank farms would be
concluded within the next two weeks.
The VP, who also led others to inspect the
Apapa axis, said there was no excuse on the
part of the Federal Government on the state of
affairs in the area, noting that aside the
economic implications, it was also an important
residential community that must be allowed to
thrive.
“We have been working quite hard now to get
approval for road construction. Among the roads
are the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Mile 2-
Liverpool roundabout are important roads but
they have been delayed but I am personally
working to ensure that we could get that through
and we are trying to look at immediate solutions
that can be done and how the process could be
expedited to achieve results.
“I can guarantee that we will get all the
approvals done. I don’t think that it should take
us more than two weeks to get the approval so
that we can begin the work. There are so many
other bad areas, especially the coconut area in
front of Tincan Port, the Leventis to Wharf Road
is also another area we are looking at, the
rehabilitation of the Creek Road so that we can
have a two lane access into the ports and all of
those are important roads and all of them are
Federal roads, so we have a responsibility to
ensure that these things are done,” Osinbajo
said.
On the situation with Ports across the country
and the need to decongest the Apapa Tincan
Ports, the Vice President listed insecurity as one
of the major issues preventing the Ports in Port
Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar and others from
operating, however, adding that the Federal
Executive Council had recently approved a
security arrangement in the Ports to enable
them function optimally.
“A few weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council
approved a maritime security arrangement for
all of those areas and that has already been
deployed. So we expect that as soon as the
security architecture is laid out, we should be
able to use those Ports frequently and that
would of course decongest the Apapa Tincan
Ports,” Osinbajo said.
Addressing other issues involving the movement
of cargo from the Apapa Ports, the Vice
President said the Federal Government was in
talks with a concessionaire to rehabilitate the
narrow gauge rail, which according to him, will
aid the quick movement of goods pending the
construction of a standard gauge.
“As Mr. President had directed, what I intend to
do, is that we should meet as frequently as
possible. We have already drawn up some
roadmap and a check list of the various things
that we need to do in the next couple of weeks
to ensure that we are able to ease the situation
around here and make it more decent for people
to live in this community and work in this axis.
It is important for us as a country and
commercially also and we are definitely
committed to making sure that it works,”
Osinbajo said.
Speaking shortly after an on-the-spot
assessment in the Agejunle area, Governor
Ambode wielded the big stick and ordered the
immediate shutting down of Climax Bonded
Terminal in Ajegunle, saying that their operation
was not only illegal but also causing untold
hardship to residents in the area.
Governor Ambode, who was saddened by the
situation in the area shortly after an on-the-spot
assessment, directed that the terminal and other
adjoining areas be closed, while the trucks
parked around the terminal be evacuated within
the next 24 hours.
He said that there was no record from the State
Government showing that the operators of the
terminal were authorised to convert the property
for such purpose, warning that the State
Government would not fold its arms and allow
flagrant abuse of its building laws to the
detriment and safety of residents.
He said the decision to shut down the place was
in furtherance to the need to protect residents
from imminent dangers which such building
portends, saying that the primary responsibility
of the Government was to protect lives and
property.
“You guys are causing me a lot of havoc. So, as
far as the Lagos State Government is concerned,
Ajegunle remains a residential area. I have
crosschecked from all the ministries and
officials, there is no approval from the Physical
Planning for you to use this neighbourhood
which is residential as a bonded terminal and
then I understand that you are extending to
Awodiora.
“I don’t want to do too much problem with your
owner, but whoever is the owner would have to
come to the Ministry of Physical Planning. I
have the duty to protect all the citizens of Lagos
State, I will not allow anything you have called
Bonded Terminal to reside in a residential area
and I need to protect my people,” Governor
Ambode said.
Speaking further, the Governor said the presence
of trucks parked on the single lane road in the
Ajegunle axis was subjecting residents to long
hours in traffic and other attendant menace to
the environment.
“It’s bad enough that the roads here are single
lanes and then I’ve gone round the whole
Ajegunle axis and I’ve seen all the trucks all
over the place, so I take over all the places
called bonded terminals in Ajegunle from this
moment, I shut this place down and all the
agencies concerned should take my instructions,
I do not no want to ever see this place opened
again including all the other places that they
have put the terminals and other places they
have procured, I would not authorize any place
that is residential as a Bonded Terminal.
“Tell the Commissioner of Police, tell others,
every person here must evacuate in the next 30
minutes and in all the other locations that they
have put in place, they remain under lock and
key until I say otherwise. Including Customs,
including everybody, tell the CP and the Naval
people, I don’t ever want to see it open again.
All the trucks that I’ve seen across this axis, in
the next 24 hours, I don’t want to ever see it
here again and all the other places they have
placed them, the Government Monitoring Unit
and tell the Director DSS, I don’t want to see
anybody here again. Whatever it is that they
have put here, I would only open it when they
are willing to take all these trucks away from
here and that’s my instruction,” Governor
Ambode said.
Also in his remarks at the dialogue with
stakeholders, Governor Ambode said the
meeting was critical as the situation had
become a national emergency that required all
levels of government to work together to save
the economy of the nation and also restore the
glory of Apapa axis.
“I want to reiterate my commitment to say that
whatever it is that is assigned to me as part of
the resolutions that Lagos State should do, we
are committed to doing it and we would also
cooperate with the Federal Government and
every other stakeholder to make sure that we
have a permanent solution to this Apapa crisis,”
the Governor said.
Ajegunle
…Directs Removal Of Trucks From Area Within
24 Hours
…VP, Gov Meet Stakeholders, Resolve To Find
Permanent Solution To Gridlock
Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo on Thursday assured that the
anticipated reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi
Expressway would commence within the next
two weeks as part of the Federal Government’s
resolve to finding lasting solution to the chaos
in the Apapa axis.
Osinabajo in an aerial assessment of the
Apapa traffic for situation
File photos
Osinbajo, who spoke at a dialogue with
stakeholders on the Apapa traffic congestion in
company of the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi
Ambode; Minister for Transportation, Rotimi
Amaechi; Managing Director of Nigeria Ports
Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, among
others, held at the Officers Mess of the Western
Naval Command in Apapa, said the Federal
Government was already looking into the issue
of infrastructural renewal, especially with the
state of roads in Apapa, adding that approvals
for the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway and other major roads linking the
Apapa Tincan Ports and tank farms would be
concluded within the next two weeks.
The VP, who also led others to inspect the
Apapa axis, said there was no excuse on the
part of the Federal Government on the state of
affairs in the area, noting that aside the
economic implications, it was also an important
residential community that must be allowed to
thrive.
“We have been working quite hard now to get
approval for road construction. Among the roads
are the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and Mile 2-
Liverpool roundabout are important roads but
they have been delayed but I am personally
working to ensure that we could get that through
and we are trying to look at immediate solutions
that can be done and how the process could be
expedited to achieve results.
“I can guarantee that we will get all the
approvals done. I don’t think that it should take
us more than two weeks to get the approval so
that we can begin the work. There are so many
other bad areas, especially the coconut area in
front of Tincan Port, the Leventis to Wharf Road
is also another area we are looking at, the
rehabilitation of the Creek Road so that we can
have a two lane access into the ports and all of
those are important roads and all of them are
Federal roads, so we have a responsibility to
ensure that these things are done,” Osinbajo
said.
On the situation with Ports across the country
and the need to decongest the Apapa Tincan
Ports, the Vice President listed insecurity as one
of the major issues preventing the Ports in Port
Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar and others from
operating, however, adding that the Federal
Executive Council had recently approved a
security arrangement in the Ports to enable
them function optimally.
“A few weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council
approved a maritime security arrangement for
all of those areas and that has already been
deployed. So we expect that as soon as the
security architecture is laid out, we should be
able to use those Ports frequently and that
would of course decongest the Apapa Tincan
Ports,” Osinbajo said.
Addressing other issues involving the movement
of cargo from the Apapa Ports, the Vice
President said the Federal Government was in
talks with a concessionaire to rehabilitate the
narrow gauge rail, which according to him, will
aid the quick movement of goods pending the
construction of a standard gauge.
“As Mr. President had directed, what I intend to
do, is that we should meet as frequently as
possible. We have already drawn up some
roadmap and a check list of the various things
that we need to do in the next couple of weeks
to ensure that we are able to ease the situation
around here and make it more decent for people
to live in this community and work in this axis.
It is important for us as a country and
commercially also and we are definitely
committed to making sure that it works,”
Osinbajo said.
Speaking shortly after an on-the-spot
assessment in the Agejunle area, Governor
Ambode wielded the big stick and ordered the
immediate shutting down of Climax Bonded
Terminal in Ajegunle, saying that their operation
was not only illegal but also causing untold
hardship to residents in the area.
Governor Ambode, who was saddened by the
situation in the area shortly after an on-the-spot
assessment, directed that the terminal and other
adjoining areas be closed, while the trucks
parked around the terminal be evacuated within
the next 24 hours.
He said that there was no record from the State
Government showing that the operators of the
terminal were authorised to convert the property
for such purpose, warning that the State
Government would not fold its arms and allow
flagrant abuse of its building laws to the
detriment and safety of residents.
He said the decision to shut down the place was
in furtherance to the need to protect residents
from imminent dangers which such building
portends, saying that the primary responsibility
of the Government was to protect lives and
property.
“You guys are causing me a lot of havoc. So, as
far as the Lagos State Government is concerned,
Ajegunle remains a residential area. I have
crosschecked from all the ministries and
officials, there is no approval from the Physical
Planning for you to use this neighbourhood
which is residential as a bonded terminal and
then I understand that you are extending to
Awodiora.
“I don’t want to do too much problem with your
owner, but whoever is the owner would have to
come to the Ministry of Physical Planning. I
have the duty to protect all the citizens of Lagos
State, I will not allow anything you have called
Bonded Terminal to reside in a residential area
and I need to protect my people,” Governor
Ambode said.
Speaking further, the Governor said the presence
of trucks parked on the single lane road in the
Ajegunle axis was subjecting residents to long
hours in traffic and other attendant menace to
the environment.
“It’s bad enough that the roads here are single
lanes and then I’ve gone round the whole
Ajegunle axis and I’ve seen all the trucks all
over the place, so I take over all the places
called bonded terminals in Ajegunle from this
moment, I shut this place down and all the
agencies concerned should take my instructions,
I do not no want to ever see this place opened
again including all the other places that they
have put the terminals and other places they
have procured, I would not authorize any place
that is residential as a Bonded Terminal.
“Tell the Commissioner of Police, tell others,
every person here must evacuate in the next 30
minutes and in all the other locations that they
have put in place, they remain under lock and
key until I say otherwise. Including Customs,
including everybody, tell the CP and the Naval
people, I don’t ever want to see it open again.
All the trucks that I’ve seen across this axis, in
the next 24 hours, I don’t want to ever see it
here again and all the other places they have
placed them, the Government Monitoring Unit
and tell the Director DSS, I don’t want to see
anybody here again. Whatever it is that they
have put here, I would only open it when they
are willing to take all these trucks away from
here and that’s my instruction,” Governor
Ambode said.
Also in his remarks at the dialogue with
stakeholders, Governor Ambode said the
meeting was critical as the situation had
become a national emergency that required all
levels of government to work together to save
the economy of the nation and also restore the
glory of Apapa axis.
“I want to reiterate my commitment to say that
whatever it is that is assigned to me as part of
the resolutions that Lagos State should do, we
are committed to doing it and we would also
cooperate with the Federal Government and
every other stakeholder to make sure that we
have a permanent solution to this Apapa crisis,”
the Governor said.
