Oshodi-Apapa Expressway: Fashola writes FG on worsening condition of the road


LAGOS State Governor, Mr.Babatunde Raji Fashola, has complained to the Federal Government about the worsening condition of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, a major highway that links the nation’s busiest sea ports to other parts of the country. In separate letters to President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Nemadi Sambo, the Governor also drew attention to the horrific traffic congestion on the expressway and the need to take urgent steps to fix the ever-busy road.

But the pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears and the result is that once again, the ever-busy expressway has been plunged into an eyesore and a commuter’s nightmare. Specifically, Governor Fashola had on September, 17, 2012 forwarded a detailed presentation of what should be done to fix the road and ease the traffic congestion to Vice President Namadi Sambo. In the letter entitled “Re: Report of the Deterioration and Regeneration of Apapa, Lagos,” Fashola sought to make a presentation on the state of the road and what the restoration would take, to the National Economic Council.

Proposed presentation to NEC

The letter read in parts: “Further to your Excellency’s indication of no objection to our request to make presentation to the National Economic Council, NEC, on the above subject matter, please find attached for your information, a copy of our proposed presentation to NEC. All necessary copies of the presentation have been forwarded to the NEC Secretariat for listing and further action as may be necessary. We are hopeful that the matter can be listed for the next meeting of NEC and will follow up with the Secretariat in this regard”.

Apparently overwhelmed by the contents of the presentation, the Vice President wrote back to the Governor, suggesting that the matter should be brought to the attention of President Jonathan. In the reply dated October 3, 2013, the Vice President through his Deputy Chief of Staff, Engr. M.A.K Abubakar, stated that in appreciation of the detailed nature of the presentation, which is reckoned to be beyond the consideration of the National Economic Council, NEC, the matter should be brought to the attention of the President for his consideration.


A big pothole at Mile 2, one of the several bad portions on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos. Photo:Diran Oshe
Heeding the counsel, Fashola on November 1, 2013, wrote to President Jonathan stressing the need to follow up on the initial successes that were achieved in bringing sanity on the ever-busy road. The letter read in parts: “Your Excellency will recall the deterioration and congestion of vehicular traffic that characterised the Apapa area and Tin-Can Island which host the two largest sea-ports in Nigeria.

“Apart from the congestion and deterioration, the social and economic impacts of closure of businesses and devaluation of real estate values prompted me to direct the commencement of a clean-up and a clear out with a view to commencing a restoration. Because the congestion and deterioration were connected to the operations of the ports and activities of persons dealing with the operations and some Federal Government agencies, we were delighted to get the cooperation of the Federal Government through a delegation led by the Honourable Minister of Finance, who visited us on your directive.

Initial successes

“In a bid to follow up the initial successes that were achieved by the clear-out, our Government developed a restoration plan and a budget. I had written to His Excellency, the Vice President to seek permission to present the plan and the budget at the National Economic Council because of my view of national importance and implication of the consequences if we failed to take further action”.



Vanguard investigations show that deep craters and gully-like potholes have resurfaced at several sections along the expressway, causing unprecedented traffic gridlock. The palliative repairs by the Federal Ministry of Works and its agency, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, which involved pouring laterite and granite on the bad spots, lasted only a few weeks before they were washed away by floods.

Commuters who plied the road a few days to the Christmas, literally went through hell as a result of the traffic snarl which was aggravated by the worsening state of the road and the rush by importers to clear their goods from the ports before the public holidays declared by the Federal Government to mark the festival.

Vanguard gathered that the road would not have gone into its present state of disrepair if the Federal Government which rakes in over a trillion Naira as revenue from the ports, had reacted promptly to various pleas by the Lagos State Government.

The situation, it was learnt, was exacerbated by an apparent disagreement between the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Federal Ministry of Works. The Transport Ministry which rakes about N1.3 trillion from the Apapa and Tin-can ports yearly, allegedly wants to carry out major rehabilitation works on the road but this was rejected by the Works Ministry which wants to be given the funds to do the repairs since it is statutorily empowered to do so.

Restoration plans by Lagos

The restoration plan which Fashola wrote about in the letters were fashioned out by a Lagos State Executive Council committee headed by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello. The committee was mandated to work on problems such as the traffic gridlock, business paralysis and environmental degradation currently plaguing the Oshodi-Apapa axis.

The nine-man committee which was set up after the State’s executive council visited the area on April 29, 2012, said it has reduced the traffic gridlock by 70 percent although there are still occasional bottlenecks particularly in the evenings. This gridlock is caused by tankers/trailers as a result of the delay at the entrance to the ports. The Committee said it has also succeeded in dislodging miscreants from under bridges even as all illegal structures have been pulled down.

The Apapa regeneration agenda covers Marine Beach, Ijora 7Up, Costain, Ijora Olopa and their environs. Previous efforts to restore sanity along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway

Vanguard recalls that on May 7, 2012, the Presidential Task Force on Ports Reforms collaborated with the Lagos State Government to dislodge tankers and trailers parked indiscriminately along the ever-busy expressway.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and the Kick Against Indiscipline KAI also participated in the enforcement. The operation which was carried out in the night, saw to the seizure of over 80 illegally parked trucks from the road, paving way for the free flow of traffic thereafter.

Impressed with the return of orderliness along the road, the Federal Government sent a delegation led by the Finance Minister to Lagos. Receiving the Federal Government delegation, Governor Fashola vowed that the state government would stay on the road for as long as it would take to prevent the dislodged trailers and tankers from returning.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, together with the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, and Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, at a meeting with Fashola, had praised the joint efforts of the Federal and Lagos State governments in restoring sanity to the road. She said the clearing of the road would reduce travel time and cost of doing business at the ports, as goods emanating from the ports would get to their destinations faster and safer.

Jaidey-one:
GEJ is a failure!!!

Jaidey-one:
GEJ is a failure!!!

Demdem: Good One fashola. Lets see what the retardeen will do about it.

_{Not that am expecting anything sha}

Omexonomy:
how far long time you still dey do all this ur nonesens. Well sha u must collect salary for this month
b4 u start the insult i ply that road from apapa to oshodi can any body please point out which part is fash talking about. Note i am not a PDP member and i hate lies. Nigeria is full of lies

Who are u? what nonsense is ur miserable kind talking about We are talking about a bad important road here

aribisala0: People should take note of the contribution of the port.This is MORE than oil from any state.So all those JOKERS saying LAGOS was built with oil money should take note.Lagos ports contribute MORE than any oil producing state

Omexonomy:
b4 u start the insult i ply that road from apapa to oshodi can any body please point out which part is fash talking about. Note i am not a PDP member and i hate lies.

dedeike: I have waited very patiently to see whether any single person or hater could disprove one single project in that achievement but none is yet to come.
The closest attempt was one who released a catalogue of parastatals which IBB established as conduit pipes for the siphoning of our resources.

It may interest us all to know that the present government seeks to end this culture of waste and profligacy hence the Oronsanye panel which is working towards reducing all these IBB creations numbering well over 250 to 35.

This govt is simply magical given their giant strides in just one year. Permit to rewind these achievements which always scares KOBOJUNKIE, GBAWE and KING O FLAG


In Finance,

finance ministry is carrying out bio metric evaluation of federal civil servants to reduce waste. The checks revealed the pension scam of over 120 billion. There is the new integrated online payment system which helps the minister monitor transfer of public funds. Our foreign reserves have risen again to 37 billion dollars. There's the proposed Soveriegn Wealth Fund to cater for excess oil sale proceeds.

In Energy, a lot of reforms. The president is keen on transparency and thus has set up probes into the sector viz KPMG AUDIT and AIG IMOUKHEDE. The president sought to close the window of corruption by removing subsidy but the cabal misled Labour into a protest. That notwithstanding, the reforms are still ongoing and the full deregulation of the downstream sector being vigorously pursued. Last week, the FG had concluded the PIB which remains a landmark legislation that will revolutionarize the petroleum industry. Refineries are undergoing repairs and an American company, VULCAN is to build six more new refineries.

In roads, Zaria-Funtua-Gusau roads, Oshodi-Apapa with expansion and drainage works, dedicated bridge frm liverpool roundabout to Tin can ports, trailer park, Dualisation of Ibadan -Ilorin, ENUGU-Onitsha, completion of OWERRI -Onitsha, 9th mile, ongoing reconstruction of Benin-Ore-Sagamu highway measuring over 265 km, Kano-Maidugri Dualisation. Keffi -Akwanga-Lafia, award of Afikpo-Okigwe, Auchi-Okene being handled by Setraco. Loko-Eweta-Karishi bridge, Kolo-Nembe -Brass to mention but a few.

In Transport, massive reforms at the ports. Sanitisation and reduction of operating agencies to 7. Introduction of 24 hrs ports operation. Ongoing Construction of light gauge train railways across t4 cardinal point of the federation

In Aviation, massive reconstruction of major airports in the land, Enugu airport is undergoing total rehabilitation. The domestic wing of Abuja airport is also being reconstructed with expansion of roads and car parks. Same fr the international wing and the kano airports

In Education, establishment of 9 new federal universities in less than 1 year. Constructed 2 new campuses of the Nigerian law schools in Yenagoa and Yola respectively. Launched the Almajiri schools for education of itenerant Islamic pupils in the north wFhich Buhari and other northern leaders abandoned. Increased funding to almost 400 billion to education thereby setting an all time highest record. Reinvigorated the inspectorate oversight of schools leading to the revocation of some licenses from universities. Executed the landmark upgrade of university lecturers retirement age from 65 to 70.

In agriculture, for the first time in our history, we have a clearly defined agricultural policy which is targeted towards maximum utilisation of cassava for growth thru the launch of the cassava bread campaign. The policy is intended to reduce our reliance on imported wheat so as to encourage local production of cassava and it's conversion to flour for bakery. The FG has in less than one year eliminated the middlemen cartel that fed fat on fertiliser distribution at the expense of local farmers. Now through deregulation reforms, fertiliser is now accessible in the open market. he has also embarked on massive construction of silos and has increased import duties on the importation of rice in order to encourage local farmers. The efforts of the minister has been so appreciable that the world bank assisted with over 50 billion Naira for fertiliser redistribution scheme/ silos. The CBN has also set up a 500 billion loan scheme which is to assist farmers.

In power, the NIPP has been revived with the subsequent refurbishment of Afam, Alaoji, Calabar, GEREGU, Omotosho, papalanto power plants. This has led to the addition last December of 4,000 megawatts from barely 1700 to the national grid. To address the problem of distribution, the 18 successor companies have been slated for privatization. The media is already awash with news of the proposed privatization next week. The reforms include the review of tariffs in order to ensure a cost reflective tariff that will encourage private sector participation in the building of gas plants. Already, this has started yielding dividends as SPDC has commenced processes towards building a gas plant in IMO state.

ndala: its too early for dis now? Coward

omonla10: pls GEJ dont repair dat road. dats traffics is where i have d time to check and reply my mails.update my status, log onto nairaland.

Omexonomy:
b4 u start the insult i ply that road from apapa to oshodi can any body please point out which part is fash talking about. Note i am not a PDP member and i hate lies.

maclatunji:

@bolded, Dedeike mentioned this same road being rehabilitated as one of GEJ's achievements on July 29, 2012 and Fashola is writing Jonathan on the deplorable state of the same road in January 2015.

This can probably only happen in Nigeria. To make matters worse, they are asking us to allow GEJ do it again. Why won't they? When many Nigerians cannot reason beyond the current frivolity that they will be dashed for voting "GEJ not PDP".

maclatunji:

@bolded, Dedeike mentioned this same road being rehabilitated as one of GEJ's achievements on July 29, 2012 and Fashola is writing Jonathan on the deplorable state of the same road in January 2013.

This can probably only happen in Nigeria. To make matters worse, they are asking us to allow GEJ do it again. Why won't they? When many Nigerians cannot reason beyond the current frivolity that they will be dashed for voting "GEJ not PDP".

Omexonomy:
b4 u start the insult i ply that road from apapa to oshodi can any body please point out which part is fash talking about. Note i am not a PDP member and i hate lies.