FRESH facts have emerged over the reasons for the persistent gridlock in Apapa and environs, especially along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, as 200 additional policemen directed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to complement enforcement on the axis are presently absent.
Sanwo-Olu, had directed the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, shortly after inauguration of a Special Traffic Management and Enforcement Compliance Team to resolve the traffic gridlock in and around Apapa, in January, 2021, led by Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka.
The measure, Sanwo-Olu stressed became necessary following lingering gridlock along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and environs.
The team is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring zero tolerance of traffic offenders and a seamless traffic management system specifically designed to restore sanity.
Determined to rid the area of chaotic gridlock holistically, the governor directed for deployment of 200 policemen to compliment the efforts of the existing team, comprising of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Police and Intelligence service officers.
The enforcement was led by one Wasiu, a Police Inspector, who controlled a sizeable number of officers. The exit of the squad was said to have created a wide loophole in enforcement.
A member of the state traffic team, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that: “The traffic situation in Apapa could have been brought to barest minimum level if there are enough security men to enforce the law. That is why we are having miscreants and touts operating unchecked.
“At the moment, about 200 policemen which the governor directed CP to deploy to compliment the enforcement in the area have gone “ÄWOL”. They are not yet in the team. This has created some form of lapses in enforcement.”
Meantime, Fayinka has summoned all stakeholders to a meeting tomorrow, September 14, at the Ministry of Transportation conference hall meeting Block 17, Alausa, Ikeja to chart a new way forward in traffic management in the area. The stakeholders expected at the meeting, include: Truck Transit Park, TTP operator, Police, FRSC and Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.
Despite all efforts, gridlock continued yesterday, as motorists and commuters were stranded as a result of truck drivers parking indiscriminately from Fatgbem Filling Station to Otto-Wharf and miscreants collecting bribe at different check points along the road.
NPA, TTP behind traffic
In another development, the gridlock which has crippled business activities in the area and crashed the economy, United Truckers Forum alleged was as result of NPA policies and TTP activities.
The forum had embarked on a protest last month to express their dissatisfaction with the continued extortion by the police and officials of LASTMA.
Vanguard gathered that NPA policy mandated trucks plying on the Lagos road to make payment of N11,000 into an account owned by TTP before coming into the port, not inside the port.
It was gathered that the truckers have paid over N3 billion into TTP’s account and N200 million to traffic team between February 27, 2021 till date.
Findings has shown that the money paid to traffic team was made possible whenever their trucks were impounded and the truckers paid fines ranging from N100,000, N200,000 or N250,000.
Speaking with Vanguard, Task Force Chairman, Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, Mr. Hassan Adekoya, said that the forum held a meeting with the Acting Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, complaining about their policies that have crippled the economy and how truckers were being extorted with evidence.
Adekoya, while calling for a review of NPA policies, said: “Last week, we had a meeting with the NPA acting MD and we complained of how the policies they created, crashed our economy and businesses and created gridlock in Apapa. He promised to work with us and to partner with us so as to end the gridlock.
“When he told us to come out with evidence if we have any, we told him that we cannot trust them with our evidence anymore because we have given more than enough information and evidence and nothing has happened. After much deliberation, we told him that there is this money NPA and TTP extort from us on the road, not in the port.
“NPA would ask us to pay N11,000 and more on the road before we can access the Tin can port. NPA instruct us to be paying into the TTP account and we have been doing this since February this year, we have paid over N3 billion into the account. When we told the MD, he said he was not aware of it and TTP also said they are not aware. The Port manager Tincan also said he is not aware of the money.
“He requested for proof and we presented them the account number and the account number showed TTP as the owner of the account but they clearly denied it and then the Acting MD promised to act on our evidence by investigating the allegation. He asked his men to prepare a letter to the Acting Inspector General, AIG to investigate. But as I speak they are still collecting this money.
Credit: Vanguard
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