The traffic situation on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway has returned to the nightmare it was.
The entire expressway, inward and outward Apapa, has been on lockdown, following the breakdown of law and order leading to the hijack of the situation by hoodlums.
In the past few days, the traffic situation on the expressway has remained chaotic as motorists, commercial bus drivers and articulated truck drivers struggle to manoeuvre their way through the only express lane that serves Apapa and Oshodi-bound road users.
This struggle by road users to ply the congested road, simultaneously, coupled with the indiscriminate parking of commercial bus drivers, is causing chaotic situations at Cele and 2nd Rainbow, particularly at peak periods of the day and night.
The action has led to people spending longer hours on the road.
It was, however, observed that security agencies were not on the ground to control the chaotic traffic situation, while street urchins have taken advantage of the situation to extort commercial bus drivers.
Blame govt agencies for gridlock --PSTT
Reacting to the situation, the Port Standing Task Team, PSTT, and the Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria, ACTOAN, blamed both the Federal and Lagos State governments for the persistent traffic situation along the Tin-Can-Oshodi expressway.
Both PSTT and ACTOAN alleged that both governments are not forceful enough in the implementation of traffic rules along that route.
The National Coordinator of PSTT, Moses Fadipe, in a chat with Vanguard, said that all the government agencies responsible for the enforcement of traffic rules along the route are under the control of the Lagos State government.
Fadipe also blamed the ongoing reconstruction work along the route for the gridlock, especially along the Mile 2 axis of the expressway.
He said: "You said the trucks are back but one of the major culprits is the tankers. Nobody is regulating them and they think they can do anything with impunity. The Lagos State government has a role to play but they have abandoned their duties on that road because all the agencies including the police, LASTMA, and everybody are under the control of the Lagos State government."
We need strict enforcement--ACTOAN boss
Similarly, the Chairman of ACTOAN, Bello Ridwan, urged the Federal and Lagos State governments to ensure strict enforcement of the traffic rules along the axis.
Ridwan explained that non-state actors along the route can operate unhindered because the government is not living up to its responsibilities.
He called for the establishment of a task force comprising security agencies, truckers and other stakeholders.
He said: "I think it is the laxity of the government (state and federal) along the Tin-Can axis.
"When the road was under reconstruction, it was understandable, though it could have been managed properly without turning the place into a perpetual traffic zone.
"Once the expressway is open to commercial buses, all those trucks parking along the road will be forced to use the parking lots. The miscreants, who operate illegal toll collections, will be forced to evacuate the road as well.
"It's an eyesore to still have the major road leading to one of the busiest ports in Africa in that state.
"The only solution is strict enforcement. We know how all truckers complied when the Electronic Call-up System was introduced. There should be a monitoring task team at both inbound and outbound Tin-Can port access roads for 24 hours.
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"This way, we will witness significant change and ease in the trucking maritime ecosystem. This task team can comprise LASTMA, Police and reliable union members to also help drivers who could be victims of circumstance in the hands of task team because of overzealousness and high-handedness during their operation."
Federal, Lagos govts keep mum
Efforts to get comments from the Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Bakare Umar proved abortive as calls put across to him were not reachable.
Similarly, as at press time, efforts to speak with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso and Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Gbolahan Toriola as well as Head Operation, Special Traffic Management Committee on Apapa Gridlock, Adekoya Hassan, were unsuccessful as they did not respond to several calls and messages sent to their mobile phone lines.
