The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said the country loses over N5billion daily to the gridlock in Apapa.
ANLCA National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Kayode Farinto said this on Monday during a press conference in Lagos.
He said the association would embark on an indefinite strike if government failed to immediately fix and relocate tank farms sited around the port area.
“The federal government is not exempted in these daily record of losses as revenues generated by some government agencies have begun to drop at an estimate of over N5b daily.
“This is as a result of the traffic gridlock.
“The traffic gridlock along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Wharf Road, Marine Bridge, Ijora is so unbearable that it has become a nightmare coming and going out of Apapa.
“If nothing is done, we may have no other option than to withdraw our services from the ports in order to compel the federal government to live up to her constitutional responsibilities to the citizens.
“All these above mentioned entering routes into Apapa have become den for armed robbers and hideouts for them to perpetrate their evil acts.
“Some stakeholders have at various times been dispossessed of their valuables and cash at gun points on a daily basis,” he said.
The ANLCA spokesman blamed tanker drivers’ “uncivilized and uncultured attitude” for the gridlock.
Farinto said ANLCA would constitute a special task force that would curtail the excesses of the tanker drivers and proffer short-term solution to the gridlock.
“We should all recall that last year when the Navy constituted a special task force, there was sanity on the roads.
“We call on the federal government and Lagos state government as a matter of urgency to organize a vibrant task force to monitor the various outlets into and outside the ports and to caution all the tanker drivers.
“In as much as the situation is getting out of hand, ANLCA however call on the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to find a lasting solution to this menace.
“It will be recalled that during the electioneering campaign, the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Oshinbajo promised to look into the Apapa traffic matter and explained that the new administration will relocate the tank farms in and around the port environment to somewhere around Lekki-Epe Expressway,” he added.
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