FG Sets To Hasten Removal Of Trucks From Oshodi-Apapa Expressway

Representatives of the Federal Government in Abuja have met with the leaders of Maritime Workers Union (MWUN), yesterday after the Union’s plan to go on a nationwide strike after request that the Oshodi-Apapa expressway be cleared.

Suspension of the strike followed agreement reached with government team after the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.

The Minister had summoned a meeting between the union and the Ministry of Transportation, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing as well as the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday, a day the strike should have started.

Some of other resolutions are: “The collaborative efforts of Federal Ministry of Transport through the NPA, FMWP&H, Dangote Limited and Flour Mills on the two (2) Km Wharf road is noted. However, these efforts have not been very appreciable as only 10% of the work has been done till date. The meeting therefore called on the lead project company; Dangote to speed up action in terms of galvanizing human and material resources to see that they meet the timeline of the completion of the project in spite of unforeseen challenges; The Federal Government to pursue vigorously the policy of non- establishment of new Tank Farms in the Port areas.

“The collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Concessionaires at the Ports in terms of movement of Containers by rail should be strengthened so that there is no pillage of Trailers on access road to Port. The establishment of 340 capacity Trailer Park by the FMPW&H is a step in the right direction and noteworthy but the meeting appealed that the final stage of the Shore line Protection work be completed in before the end of the 2nd quarter of 2018.

“A total reconstruction of the major access roads to Tin-Can Port area from Liverpool road via Coconut via Sunrise to Mile2 road should be undertaken urgently and in this direction, FMoT through the NPA are to synergize and consummate the project before the end of the 2ndquarter of 2018. The FMPW&H which has already captured the road to Tin-Can Port in its 2018 Budget should also do the same for roads leading to other Ports Nationwide. “

The sanitary conditions of the surrounding and roads to the Ports should be the Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR) of the NPA and the Authority should do the needful to remove the refuse within 3months to avoid endangering the lives of workers and Port users.”