The Lagos State Government has said it would take over the management of traffic in the Apapa Area of the state from the Presidential Task Force Team.
“Our plan is to bring about a cohesive system where all stakeholders would understand their roles and resolve challenges being encountered. Since last year, the Presidential Taskforce has been working on this issue,” Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said during a fact-finding visit to Apapa, on Monday.
“Now, there is a process that is starting in which the State Government is taking over the task force.”
While giving details about the planned takeover, the Lagos governor explained that “We will have a team of policemen and LASTMA dedicated to Apapa Ports for enforcement of task force’s mandates.”
Sanwo-Olu equally noted that the visit would be followed up with a meeting with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), shipping companies’ owners and freight forwarders to address complaints about wastage of time in handing over of operation from one NPA team to another.
Alleged sharp practices and other issues observed in the handling of container operations at the ports, he assured, would be reported to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
“Lagos State Government is not the owner of the ports whose operations is causing pain to residents, but we owe a duty to our citizens whose lives and businesses have been badly impacted because of the gridlocks created in this part of the State,” the governor was quoted by his media aide, Gboyega Akosile as saying during the visit, his fourth, to the Apapa ports.
“I believe this trip would give us another opportunity where all of us, as stakeholders, will be able to identify impediments and resolve the issues once and for all.”
