Fashola opens access roads to decongest Apapa traffic
…Blasts FG for neglecting Lagos
The Lagos State Government has commenced the construction of about eight access roads within Apapa Local Government Area to help divert motorists using the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway from the traffic gridlock on the road.
Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, stated during an inspection of the traffic congestion on the expressway that while the state was committed to solving the Apapa traffic, it expects the Federal Government to take lasting action on the road to enable motorists to find their ways in and out of Apapa without using the major road.
Fashola stated that concessioning the ports does not stop at signing of the agreement, but that it must take responsibility for management and maintenance of its facilities within Apapa.
According to him, the ports and major roads at the moment are grossly mismanaged resulting to untold hardship and pain for residents, businesses and motorists in Lagos.
He said this was clearly a multi-agency problem, stressing that probably the various agencies of the Federal Government are not talking to one another or not coordinating on the issue resulting to people in Lagos, particularly in Apapa, being at the receiving end.
“It has been a very uncomfortable experience in their various offices and homes. As you can see, it has become difficult to remove refuse. I do not know why a country can treat its commercial capital like this. I do not know what kind of leadership continues to allow this kind of eyesore in Apapa and its environs.
“But clearly, we have heard from those who know the business that if NNPC, for example, pumps to Ibadan and oil depots, this place will decongest. So, why are they not doing it?
“That is one issue. If the Federal Ministry of Works comes to take over and repairs its roads like Creek Road, Apapa-Oshodi and TinCan Island, clearly people living and working in this area will feel some relief.
“The reality is that once there is congestion in one part, it falls back and locks everybody in. The problem is not what is in Apapa. It is also about what is on TinCan Island as well.
“You will see even the bridge coming into Apapa now is threatened. It is just incomprehensible to me. I have never seen a country that behaves like this in its commercial capital,” he reasoned.
He continued: “But I am here because we will not give up. This is our job. This is why we are in government here. A citizen sent a text last week that the Apapa problems cannot be remedied. I sent text back to him that it was a problem created by men and it will also take men and women to solve it.”
“We will not give up but we will continue. We are working on inner roads. About seven or eight roads are under construction. It is now a problem even for our contractor to get equipment in, to supply materials and construct inner-city roads that we are committed. It is a problem, simply because of the failure of the Federal Government.
“So, we will not surrender. We will not abdicate our responsibilities. We will continue to work with the stakeholders. We hope the Federal Government will listen or understand that the concession and the management of the ports requires much more than signing an agreement,” he concluded.
Fashola stated that concessioning the ports does not stop at signing of the agreement, but that it must take responsibility for management and maintenance of its facilities within Apapa.
According to him, the ports and major roads at the moment are grossly mismanaged resulting to untold hardship and pain for residents, businesses and motorists in Lagos.
He said this was clearly a multi-agency problem, stressing that probably the various agencies of the Federal Government are not talking to one another or not coordinating on the issue resulting to people in Lagos, particularly in Apapa, being at the receiving end.
“It has been a very uncomfortable experience in their various offices and homes. As you can see, it has become difficult to remove refuse. I do not know why a country can treat its commercial capital like this. I do not know what kind of leadership continues to allow this kind of eyesore in Apapa and its environs.
“But clearly, we have heard from those who know the business that if NNPC, for example, pumps to Ibadan and oil depots, this place will decongest. So, why are they not doing it?
“That is one issue. If the Federal Ministry of Works comes to take over and repairs its roads like Creek Road, Apapa-Oshodi and TinCan Island, clearly people living and working in this area will feel some relief.
“The reality is that once there is congestion in one part, it falls back and locks everybody in. The problem is not what is in Apapa. It is also about what is on TinCan Island as well.
“You will see even the bridge coming into Apapa now is threatened. It is just incomprehensible to me. I have never seen a country that behaves like this in its commercial capital,” he reasoned.
He continued: “But I am here because we will not give up. This is our job. This is why we are in government here. A citizen sent a text last week that the Apapa problems cannot be remedied. I sent text back to him that it was a problem created by men and it will also take men and women to solve it.”
“We will not give up but we will continue. We are working on inner roads. About seven or eight roads are under construction. It is now a problem even for our contractor to get equipment in, to supply materials and construct inner-city roads that we are committed. It is a problem, simply because of the failure of the Federal Government.
“So, we will not surrender. We will not abdicate our responsibilities. We will continue to work with the stakeholders. We hope the Federal Government will listen or understand that the concession and the management of the ports requires much more than signing an agreement,” he concluded.
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