The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, has directed the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos to expedite action on the construction of the 450-capacity trailer park along the road to ease traffic flow.
The Minister, who inspected ongoing projects by his ministry in Lagos on Saturday, gave the contractor, Boroni Prono Nigeria Limited, a deadline of 16 weeks to complete the trailer park, which is located opposite the Tin-Can Port Island Complex (TCIPC), Apapa, Lagos.
A statement by the Federal Ministry of Transport on Sunday quoted Onolememen as saying: “The traffic (sic) gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, especially around the seaports is not only unacceptable, but also injurious to the nation’s economy. The contractor must reprioritise and complete the work in phases; ensuring the completion of the trailer park before May 31 under the first phase so as to remove about 500 trailers from the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and reduce the congestion being experienced.
“We are doing this to bring about transformative social change in the area. That is why the Federal Government recently ordered Julius Berger to resume work on the Cele Bus Stop/Beachland Estate alignment of the road.”
The Minister gave an assurance that once the park was completed, the trailer and truck drivers would have a place to park their vehicles, while conducting their businesses in Apapa or Tin Can ports without having to park along the road.
He also advised Nigerians to see road infrastructure as key national assets, and stop, what he described as, the perennial abuse of roads in the country.
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