VP Osibanjo Inspects Apapa Gridlock

The Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government is adopting short-term, mid-term and long-term measures, including improving infrastructure, towards resolving the Apapa gridlock to reduce traffic around the area.

Professor Osinbajo said this on Saturday when he went round the Apapa area in Lagos State to inspect the progress of ongoing work to clear the gridlock.

The Vice President visited different areas of Apapa, including the truck terminal near Ijora, the entrance to the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Liverpool and Tin Can Island, as well as several road projects in the area to ascertain the level of work done by the Presidential Task Force saddled with the responsibility of clearing the area.

Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Professor Osinbajo, who was accompanied by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, said a lot of work has been done so far, with more to be accomplished.

It would be recalled that the Presidential task team began its work on May 24, following a Presidential directive issued for the immediate clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order to Apapa and its environs.

The directive mandated the immediate removal of all trucks from the bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the Apapa axis, to allow for a free flow of traffic around the area.

Following a request by members of the task force and other stakeholders, Vice President Osinbajo, earlier in June at a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, approved the extension of the previous deadline.

The task force, which commenced its assignment on May 24, is now expected to present a formal report at the end of its extended mandate on June 24.

On ways to sustain the work done to decongest the traffic in the area, Professor Osinbajo said having understood what the problem is, and with the work done so far to resolve it, there was no doubt that it would be sustained.

…AiT