Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that 200 security officers would be deployed to Apapa and Tin-Can Ports, to clear the gridlock on the route and enforce compliance on truck not to park on the road.
Media Assistant to the minister, MrsvTaiyevElebiyo-Edeni, said Amaechi made the disclosure during a meeting with Maritime Stakeholders and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) in Lagos.
The union had threatened to go on strike if government failed to address the gridlock on the route.
He, however, said that there should be a Steering Committee headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Magdalene Ajani, to seat monthly until the challenges are overcome.
Other members of the committee would be from the Nigerian Ports Authourity, Nigerian Shippers Council, MWUN, Road Safety and Lagos State government.
Amaechi directed the committee to write to the Inspector General of Police for more Officers for the assignment.
“The issue of traffic on these routes is because, in Nigeria, we don’t discipline people. People do whatever they like even when it’s wrong because there is no consequence for our actions. We need security officers to enforce compliance on truck blocking the road.
“100 men at Tin Can and Apapa to be stationed their everyday because Nigerians don’t obey until there are consequences for actions. NPA, Shippers Council must have a level of funding to resolve this challenges.”
Deputy Secretary General of MWUN, Abudu Eroje, said that letters will be sent out to all relevant stakeholders, giving an ultimatum when all trucks must leave the road back to their various parks. Eroje said a Manuel call-up system would commence before the electronic system, to enable all access road to Tin Can by Mile 2 be cleared.
