Apapa Port Stakeholders Raise Alarm Over Dilapidated Portion of Access Roads, Traffic Robbery

…I Regretted Voting Buhari, Oforbike Laments

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The bad portions of the access roads into and out of Apapa Port, especially around Ijora SIFAX inwards Apapa and under the Orile bridge outwards Apapa Port is now a course for concern for the relevant authorities.

Investigations by DAILY TREND revealed that the bad portion of the roads is causing serious traffic chaos for port users who are going home after finishing their day job from the port.

Apart from this, hoodlums and traffic Robbers are now taking advantage of the traffic gridlock on the road to dispossess motorists of their cash, wrist watches and other valuables at gun point.

Recall that the Port Manager, Apapa Port, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu had three months ago raised the alarm on the bad portion of the road and activities of hoodlums and miscreants in the axis.

At a meeting with the Nigerian Shippers Council Ports Standing Task Team (PSTT) Mrs Olotu said “The roads are bad. Between here and Orile, the whole road has almost collapsed. The miscreants are not afraid of bullet or machetes, they are there for anybody”

Last week Thursday specifically, our correspondent particularly witnessed a scene whereby motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles and flee when the miscreants began their robbery.

Also speaking on with DAILY TREND on Wednesday, the Western Zone Leader of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Chief John Oforbike urged the federal government to pay attention to repairing the bad portion of the road, considering it’s important to national economy.

He lamented that “I have left my office since 3pm and right now, by 6.30pm, I am still on top of Area B Bridge. This is what we pass through everyday, we can no longer come to the office, we are working from home.

“There is a particular portion of the road that is totally destroyed, this is the road that bring revenue for the government. As a matter of fact, I regretted voting for Buhari and the APC, I am a Buharist from ANPP to CPC up to APC, we have him our support thinking that something good was going to happen

“The Lagos Government was shouting then that PDP as government at the centre refused to do what they are supposed to as regards federal roads, now that the government of APC is in the centre and in the State, and the Minister of Works is from Lagos State, what kind of nonsense is this? People are suffering here.

“If not for the commissioner of police in Lagos State who is very proactive, he called all Area Commanders and DPOs to man all the bad spots on the roads, even at that, the police would be at the back and the bad boys would be robbing in the front, they know that police cannot shoot at sight anyhow.

“The bad boys are taking advantage of the bad roads and obtaining people of their valuables” Oforbike lamented

He advised that if the government cannot sign contracts and award a new road, they should carry out palliatives by sending three trailers of hardcore stones to fill up the bad portion.