Although President Muhammadu Buhari is expected in Lagos on a different mission tomorrow, stakeholders say his first official visit to the state after the inauguration of his government, would afford Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, the opportunity to discuss challenges facing Apapa, Nigeria’s premier port community with the president.
Lagosians believe that one of the major challenges confronting Ambode today, is the gridlock which has paralysed activities at the nation’s premier port, causing a loss of untold productive man-hours daily and slowing down the delivery of raw materials to factories across the country.
The Federal Government makes over a N1 trillion annually from Apapa, where two of Nigeria’s major ports- Tincan and Apapa are located. However, infrastructure within the ports environment are in shambles, a consequence of many years of neglect.
Particularly hurting the economy, according to the stakeholders, are heavy losses in traffic as a result of poor state of roads and bridges leading in and out of Apapa. The Lagos economy is said to be losing over N3billion annually to traffic congestion.
The gridlock is worsened by thousands of petroleum tankers which make their way to Apapa to lift petroleum products from over 60 tank farms sited in the area, without an organised loading bay and parking spaces.
Emmanuel Nted, president-general of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) said the visit of President Buhari to Lagos is crucial, and the state government should make the most of the opportunity to see how both governments can liaise to address infrastructural decay in Apapa.
The Nted had two months ago, threatened to call out the maritime workers on strike, in protest against the collapsed road infrastructure which he explained put lives and goods at risk. “There is now collaboration between Lagos and Abuja and I think this time presents the best opportunity to fix Apapa, said Nted.
Also, Remi Ogungbemi, the president of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) said the understanding between the Federal and Lagos State governments, being of the same political party “should be explored to address infrastructure challenges in Apapa.”
According to the stakeholders, the appointment of former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola as the minister of works, housing and power, puts Lagos at advantage, as Fashola while serving as governor of Lagos had consistently condemned the failure of the Federal Government, then under the Peoples Democratic of Party (PDP) of neglecting Apapa, from where they raked over N1 trillion annually.
In the last six months, Governor Ambode had visted Apapa twice, and he expressed concern over the road infrastructure, the abandoned bridge and trailer parking lot under construction opposite the Tincan Ports. Ambode, during visits, had appealed to President Buhari to get the contractors handling the bridge and the parking lot to return to site.
Buhari is expected in Lagos tomorrow, to hand over three security helicopters purchased by the Lagos State government to the police command, for aerial patrol aimed at strengthening security.
JOSHUA BASSEY
