Vacate Apapa Roads, FG Gives Trucks, Service Providers Ultimatum

The Federal Government on Wednesday directed truck drivers, telecommunication service providers and other operators currently blocking the roads in Apapa, Lagos to vacate the area within seven days, to enable the planned reconstruction work on Wharf Road to start.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke issued the ultimatum as it dawned on the authorities that until the telecommunication service providers and some other operators, beyond the truck drivers relocate their service cables on the Right of Way (RoW) of the project, the contractor, AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, may not be able to mobilise to site, let alone begin the proposed reconstruction work.

Eke, after extensive deliberation with stakeholders at the meeting which included representatives of telecommunication service providers, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), transport unions, port operators, shippers unions and AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, directed  the tankers to  immediately vacate the roads  while  service providers were to quickly  relocate their cables from the RoW.

“We need to do something urgently to ensure smooth running of the project.

“When the project starts, we will not be able to wait for companies to relocate utility services; so I am appealing to all stakeholders to act fast in the interest of us all.

“Leave the roads so that this contractor, AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd,  can begin excavation on site,’’ he said.

Eke added that scheduling another meeting with the service providers and traffic management agencies for  Wednesday to map out strategies for urgent relocation of their services.

The stakeholders said some of the roads, which include Wharf Road and Creek Road,  were already being handled by the ministry, adding that there must be cooperation for the project to be completed on time.

Some stakeholders accused service providers of frustrating previous projects in Lagos by ignoring calls for relocation of services, thereby causing delays.

They therefore agreed that a timeline be set after which service providers who ignore the deadline would bear the consequences of their inaction.

The Managing Director of AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, Mr Ashif Juma, said that strategies had  been put in place to speed up construction work.

Juma explained that the drainage channels were going to be constructed with precast elements which were ready to be moved to site.

“We are ready to begin the drainage works by next week because we are using precast elements and they are ready.

“The road is two kilometres for each lane both in bound and out bound lane.

“We are to rehabilitate and reconstruct the road using concrete to construct rigid pavement that will last between 30 and 50 years.

“This kick off meeting is to begin this process. There are several utility cables which nobody is aware of except the owners come forward to relocate them.

“We will provide ducts and channels to protect the utilities but we need the help of stakeholders,’’ he said.

Juma explained that the meeting was also important in order to schedule a traffic plan to make the site available for reconstruction.

Retired Brig-General Sola Ayo-Vaughan, Chairman, Apapa GRA Residents Association, appealed to all stakeholders to comply with the directives to ease the hardship faced by the residents of Apapa who bear the brunt of gridlock.

“We residents will like to know the routing for traffic diversion,’’ he said.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Saturday handed over  the site to AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd. for reconstruction.

The site was handed over after the minister signed a N4.34 billion Memorandum of Understanding  with stakeholders who were to fund the project.

The project is to be funded by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, an arm of the Dangote Group, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Flour Mills of Nigeria.

In the meantime, the Apapa area remains locked down and impenetrable as articulated vehicles continue to block the roads leading in and out of the area, including the nation’s major revenue earner, the Apapa Ports Complex.

MARITIME FIRST