Vice- chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the Restoration of Law and Order in Apapa Ports Area, Kayode Opeifa, has confirmed the acquisition of the long-awaited electronic callup system by the National Port Authority (NPA).
The system designed to regulate the inflow of container-laden trucks into the ports, according to Opeifa, will be rolled out before the end of 2019, possibly October.
It will ensure that only trucks having genuine business transaction within the ports are allowed into Apapa from the Lilypond Terminal and other terminals.
This is majorly aimed at decongesting the roads and bridge leading into the ports environment as a medium-term measure pending the completion of ongoing rehabilitation of the rail system believed would be the lasting solution to the Apapa gridlock and its consequential economic losses.
Opeifa spoke during a meeting of the presidential task team with Apapa Government Resident Association ( AGRA), in Lagos, Tuesday.
According to Opeifa, in addition to the expected introduction of the electronic call-up system, the ongoing rehabilitation of Liverpool road, Ring road and Apapa-oworonshoki expressway, when completed, would add to further decongest the area just as he stated the resolve of the task team to sustain the current flow of traffic into Apapa.
Opeifa, who was also a former commissioner for transportation in Lagos, explained that while the traffic situation had improved in Apapa, especially during the day, more needed to be done in the night.
“Our mandate is to ensure law and order is restored in Apapa and create an efficient traffic management system that allows free movement of people, fuel and cargo,” he said.
“You cannot prevent trucks from entering Apapa. Shutting them off means loss of revenue for Nigeria as proceeds from ports is the third largest income source for the country, but we have a task to manage the situation in a such a way that we do not block the residents from exiting and accessing their homes,” he said.
Chairman of AGRA, Ayo Shola-vaughan, thanked the presidential task team for coming to the rescue of the port city, and noted that the meeting was convened to enable residents review the performance of the task team as regard sanitation of Apapa.
“We organise this meeting because we want to hear from you to know if the task team has done a good job,” he said.
A legislator representing Apapa at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Beranda, disclosed that plans were under way by the Lagos State government to introduce Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Apapa through the Eric Moore corridor in Surulere.
“The state government has proposed two routes for BRT. The first route is from Alakija to Liverpool. Second route is from Eric Moore to Wharf Road,” Beranda said.
In addition to this, plans, she said are also being made to revamp water transportation system in Apapa.
“We have met with Lagos State Water Authority (LASWA) and stakeholders in the transportation sector on how to develop our water transport system, but one thing prolonging this initiative is that our jetties are below global standard,” she said.
Mufutau Egberongbe, a legislator representing Apapa at the Federal House of Representatives, maintained that the task force is bedevilled with logistic challenges, saying proper funding will enable them deliver excellent results.
“I advise that government should supply them with tracking machines and scanners to enable them monitor ships, carry out inspection, to ensure the ports are in good condition,” Egberongbe said.
