Bring contractor back to site in Apapa, Ambode urges FG

The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has appealed to the Federal Government to direct the contractor handling the construction of the container trailer park and the Port link road in Apapa to return to site.

Ambode spoke with newsmen shortly after inspecting some traffic points in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inspection took the governor to Apapa, Ladipo and Isolo areas of the state.

He said the completion of the projects would ease the traffic gridlock in the area and other parts of the state.

“I am pleading with the Federal Government to make sure Julius Berger comes to site to ameliorate the challenges motorists are facing,” he said.

According to him, it is important to accelerate the return of the contractor to site. Ambode expressed optimism that once the link road is completed, the trailer terminal will be used.

“The terminal can take 1,000 container vehicles and that itself will improve the traffic in the state,” he said.

The governor promised that the Isolo Road would be completed in the next nine months.

“In the interim, palliative will be created so that we can have motorable roads toward the festive period,” he said.

Ambode urged motorists to be law abiding and obey the state’s traffic laws.

“We do not fine offenders just because we want to generate revenue.

“There should be law and order in the city,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Christian Olakpe, who was also on the inspection team, said a nine-point agenda had been articulated to address the traffic situation.

Olakpe, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, said that henceforth, officers must visible and accessible on all roads between 6.00a.m. and 10.00p.m.

“Officers must be on ground until everywhere is calm, cleared and people are safe to go to bed,” he said.

“In the area of enforcement, anyone who violates the law will not go free; now we are using a tripartite functional system of arrest, impound and prosecute,” Olakpe said.