“The Apapa gridlocks is top priority, Flour Mills was badly affected this year. We doubled our production to about 250,000 bags a week but it was unfortunate that we are lucky to do 190, 000 bags.
“The shareholders are waiting for dividends, banks are waiting for their money but we have more to do because we are talking too much in this country,” lamented Capt. Mohammed Bashir, Managing Director of Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL) – a subsidiary of Flour Mills Nigeria Plc.
Speaking when he received leaders of the Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) in his office yesterday, Bashir said no effort must be spared in addressing the perennial traffic gridlock which has negatively affected port operations and hampered economic activities in and around Apapa, Lagos.
He advocated the use of barges in evacuating cargoes and petroleum products from the ports as a means of decongesting the roads.
SALS President, Rev. Jonathan Nicol said his association planned to collaborate with the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) to find lasting solution to the traffic menace.
He said, “We have made a blueprint we will be discussing with LASTMA about how the Apapa road from Mile 2, Tin Can to Apapa can be monitored to reduce the traffic situation on the road.
“This is not a makeshift thing, it is a regular thing that will be continued until we have workable roads in and around Apapa. So I believe we will have one of your officers in that meeting on how we can reel out how to tackle the problem of Apapa.”
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