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LASG reveals plans to take over Apapa Presidential Task Force operations
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Governor of Lagos State has made known plans to take over the operations of the Presidential Task Force on Port Decongestion in the Apapa area.
The state government is to takeover traffic management in the areas from the Presidential Task Force by deploying between 400 and 500 officials of its traffic management authority popularly known as LASTMA.
Sanwo-Olu made this known during a fact-finding visit to the Apapa Ports on Monday.
“Now, there is a process that is starting in which the state government needs to take over that task force. One of the reasons for this trip is to start that process; to see things for myself.
“The state government is to set up a seamless operation to have a team of LASTMA about 400 to 500 dedicated to Apapa gridlock; have a team of policemen from Area B dedicated to the same gridlock.
“More importantly, be able to speak to all the big men in the office, the ship owners, the port terminal operators, freight forwarders, who are not here with the port drivers, who we see that are the ones carrying the brunt.” he said
He added that efforts are being made to bring comprehensive metrics to make all stakeholders understand and appreciate the various roles everyone needs to play.
Sanwo-Olu said the government has a responsibility of ensuring ease for the citizens in the course of carrying out their daily businesses.
“It is a process and we will not say that we have all the solutions but we have seen the process, again we have seen that we can improve this process and we have identified the stakeholders.” he said.
The governor said a stakeholders’ meeting to work out means of solving the protracted traffic gridlock in Apapa, as well as having more efficient, effective port operations in the interest of the public would be convened.
According to him, the meeting, would involve representatives of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), haulage transport unions and port operators among others.
Speaking on the level of indiscipline among port players, Sanwo-Olu promised to tackle head-on the menace of extortionist tendencies leveled against security personnel in the Apapa environs.
