Apapa gridlock: Lagos begins expansion of truck terminal

Moshood Adebayo

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday ordered the expansion of a truck terminal in Orile Iganmu to curb the indiscriminate trucks parking on roads and bridges in the state.

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Ambode said the expansion of the terminal was one of the resolutions reached at the recent meeting with stakeholders, especially in the maritime sector.

The governor also disclosed his administration had concluded plans to utilise an expanse of land in Ijanikin area with a capacity to accommodate about 5,000 trucks.

He made the disclosure during the inspection of ongoing projects across the state, during which he ordered the extension of the Egan-Agric Road project to Ayobo, as well ordered immediate commencement of palliative works on the Ikotu-Ijegun and others roads.

“One of the resolutions is that we should have authorised truck terminal park and so my visit to this place today is to flag off the reconstruction of this terminal so that we can accommodate 1,000 trucks.

“We would do this in collaboration with the Nigeria Ports Authority so that the call-up system can work efficiently. The expansion we are adding to this particular terminal in which we have decided to acquire the adjoining land, we would use that primarily for non-petroleum trucks so that we can sectionalised these trucks and allow the call-up system to work.

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“This is just part of the efforts that the state government is making to make sure this Apapa gridlock and the truck menace becomes a thing of the past permanently,” the governor said.

On the Ijanikin 5,000 trucks park, the governor said: “I have just been briefed that we have an additional land space in Ijanikin that can accommodate 5,000 trucks. We will explore that possibility immediately; all that we are doing is just to make sure there is a permanent solution to this whole idea of trucks destroying our bridges and roads,” he said.

While appealing to Lagosians for their understanding, Ambode said within the next six to eight weeks, the terminals would be up and doing to get the trucks off the roads and bridges within the axis.

He said his administration is also looking at utilising barges on the waterways to move heavy cargoes as a way of complementing efforts on road and rail transportation system.

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“I just think Lagosians will have the relief to see that we have actually done what is right and in their overall interest.

“I want to thank all the stakeholders for their interest and we must continue to join hands like I said and we would get the results that we so desire,” he said. Earlier, Ambode had inspected the progress of work on the modern bus terminals in Yaba and Oyingbo, as well as the failed section of Sari Iganmu Road which had been abandoned for over two years.

He assured residents that contractors would move in to fix it within the next two weeks, while their blocked canal would also be cleared.

While inspecting the progress of work on the Egan-Agric Road Project which is an access road to the ongoing Egan-Igando Housing Scheme, Ambode said the project would be extended to Ayobo to serve as alternative route to decongest the LASU-Iba Road to ease movement and further make life comfortable to the people.

The governor also ordered immediate traffic signalisation and palliative work on Ikotun-Ijegun Road, Abaranje, Isheri-Oshun, among other adjoining roads in the axis.