Trucks, tankers take over Oshodi-Apapa expressway

< Previous

1 of 10

Next >

This picture taken on Tuesday, July 17, shows trucks completely blocking a section of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway at Second Rainbow inward Mile 2, and commercial buses driving against traffic. PHOTO: TONYE BAKARE

[File] Trucks completely blocking a section of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway at Second Rainbow inward Mile 2 on Tuesday, July 17, 2018. PHOTO: TONYE BAKARE

The articulated vehicles heading in and out of the Apapa ports, the largest and busiest in West Africa, line up several kilometers of access roads, exploiting government’s laxity towards enforcing relevant laws.

On Wednesday, the vehicles have completely or partially blocks sections of the expressway inward Mile 2.

The situation has led to the breakdown of law and order as motorists most especially commercial bus drivers have resorted to taking one-way from Toyota bus-stop to Mile 2.

“The vehicles have formed long queues that extended from Mile 2 down to Cele Bus Stop,” a resident of Festac Town who uses the road daily told The Guardian.

“I did not get home until about midnight on Tuesday despite leaving the office at 6 pm,” she added.

A commercial bus driver, who identified himself as Kunle,  told The Guardian that many him and many of his colleagues now drive against traffic regularly in order to avoid spending hours in traffic. He, however, acknowledged the danger in doing that.

“It is not our wish to drive one-way. It is dangerous for us, our passengers and those crossing the expressway,” Kunle said.

“We pray the government does something about the tankers very soon.”

The Guardian correspondent reached out to Lagos State government. The feedback promised has not been received.

Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Groups, Aliko Dangote, and other business operators in 2017 estimated that the economy lost about N20 billion daily to the lockdown. At that rate, Nigeria’s loses about N7.28 trillion per annum.

It also makes importers incur unnecessary demurrage, aiding the diversion of cargo to the more business-friendly ports in the Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana.