Maritime workers urge priority for rehabilitation of seaport access roads  

Suspend fresh ultimatum 
As the construction of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway begins, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the Federal Government to give priority to the Berger and Tin Can access roads to the ports.

While ensuring that the time frame for the reconstruction of the road is strictly adhered to, the workers also called on government to fix other alternative roads and devise effective way of controlling and easing traffic during the period.

The President General of the union, Adewale Adeyanju and Secretary General, Felix Akingboye, over the weekend explained that the union has suspended the 21 days fresh ultimatum it served on government earlier in July during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos, following the Federal Government failure to make the access roads to the nation’s seaports, especially the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway motorable.

According to the workers, before the expiration of the fresh ultimatum, the Federal Government through the Minister Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, announced that the government has approved the total reconstruction of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway down to old tollgate at the cost of N72.9billion to the Dangote Group for a two year duration.

It said: “Now that the government has shown its readiness to work on the road with the approval of the reconstruction of the road, we have decided to suspend the 21 days ultimatum to allow government focus on the reconstruction of the road.”

The union commended President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who has visited Apapa twice recently to assess the situation as well as gave order that the trucks that have taken over the road and caused unprecedented gridlock, be cleared to allow other road users access.

While appreciating the efforts of the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, and Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman in ensuring that the Oshodi-Apapa expressway becomes motorable, they urged government to direct the Dangote group to immediately move to site and begin the reconstruction without further delay.

They added the management of NPA should enforce the directive on holding bays by the shipping companies and also withdraw the operating license of any shipping company that fails to comply within a stipulated time.