By Victoria Hanson
In a bid to stop the persistent gridlock along the Oshodi/ Apapa Expressway, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called on petroleum Tanker Drivers, in particular, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas worker (NUPENG) to Evacuate the Expressway.
The Chairman House Committee on Commerce and Industry, Hon. Oladele Adekanye made the appeal Monday, during a visit by the committee to the Ibru Port complex in Apapa as part of the committee’s oversight function.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the persistent traffic gridlock in the Apapa area of Lagos which has spilled over Lagos into some parts of the state saying that it has led to series of atrocities in the area.
According to him,” there is going to be a follow up to ensure that the tanker drivers Evacuate the road and the state is unrelenting to put an end to traffic gridlock on that axis. This is the major road which leads to the economy hub of the country.”
Hon. Adekanye who is representing Lagos Island Constituency I, stressed that Lagos Assembly is concerned with the improvement of economy in the state.
He however noted that since both the state and the Federal are controlled by APC, all hands would ensure the traffic gridlock in Apapa becomes a thing of the past.
The chairman, Technical committee of the Ibru Port ENGR. Godfrey Okorie while responding, told lawmakers that NUPENG has been the problem to them, saying that they refused to Evacuate their tankers from the Expressway even when the commissioner for transportation gave the order.
Godfrey in his words “We cannot on our own compel NUPENG to Evacuate its tankers but it will take the effort of the Federal government, State and other agencies to restore sanity in the area.
Also speaking, the General Manager of Ibro Port Complex, Ovie Oghenekaro lamented the persistent gridlock in Apapa and therefore called on the government to come to their rescue.
