The Presidential Task force team clearing the Apapa Port and access roads has assured Lagosians that efforts are on top gear to clear the Mile 2/Orile Tin Can road and access roads of all trucks.
The Task Force Team leader Kayode Opeifa who gave the assurance on Tuesday, said though the trucks can still be seen littering the road all the way from Sanya, on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, up to Tin Can Road, Tin Can First and Second gate and the Tin Can Bridge, efforts are ongoing to ensure that the trucks are cleared and the place opened up.
“The team is still working and soon we are going to achieve success in the Tin Can axis,” Opeifa said.
He said the failed portion of the road especially at Coconut Bus Stop, have contributed to the slow pace of work by the Task Force.
The combined teams of the Police and LASTMA officials are seen controlling traffic at both the Wharf and the Tin Can ends on Tuesday.
On the Tin Can end, from Sanya inward Tin Can, the trucks have been organised to park on the right shoulder of the road, leaving the fast lane free for other road users. The outward carriageway from Wharf to Tin Can and from Tin Can to Coconut had been cleared from trucks obstruction.
From the Western Avenue axis, the roads have been completely cleared of all trucks up to Ijora Bridge from where trucks billed to enter the port are seen on the Ijora-Wharf road and bridges, right up to Point Road inward Apapa port.
At Ijora, the trucks were being controlled to stay on the left shoulder of the road, leaving the right open for other motorists who have no business at the bridge leading to the port entrance.
The Customs checkpoint at Point Road and other access areas have been collapsed in line with the presidential directive for the Customs to suspend any activities that might impede the progress of the Task Force in clearing the roads of gridlocks.
A commuter, Cletus Orizu, who sells wrist watches at Apapa said the exercise has given so much relief to people who daily go to Apapa to eke out a living.
“From Ojuelegba, I was surprised when we made it to Leventis in Apapa in less than 40 minutes. That same journey used to take us over two to three hours every day, so I can say that we have started seeing the impact of the exercise in just three days already,” Orizu said.