Apapa Road of ‘death’ claims journalist’s life

The deplorable condition of Apapa Road linking the nation’s largest seaport is daily taking its toll on human lives and businesses in the Apapa axis of Lagos State, particularly as more lives are being lost to the menace.

The latest victim is a journalist, Segun Agbolade, of Sky Times Newspaper, popularly known as Effisy, who met his untimely death when a tanker driver crushed the motorcycle conveying astute maritime journalist to work.

Effisy’s death came as a rude shock to his colleagues, who recall the leading role he played when journalists protested against the deplorable state of the road early in the year.

In his reaction, chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Chapter, Deji Elumoye, has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency dislodge the tanker drivers from the expressway leading to the nation’s seaports in Apapa.

He said: “The tanker drivers have made the port access road impassable. We are not even talking of revenue losses, which they have caused the business community in that area, but the loss of lives daily on the road.”

The two major access roads to Apapa – Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and Ijora-Apapa Road – are in terrible state of disrepair, begging for urgent attention.

The Oshodi-Apapa expressway is riddled with gullies at various sections of the road from West Minister up to First Gate bus-stop. The road from Coconut Bus-Stop is blocked daily by trucks and fuel tankers, making it impossible for Apapa-bound road users to move freely.

Officials of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), which is located on Wharf Road, Apapa narrated their ordeal in accessing their office daily and how the sorry state of the road has impacted negatively on business activities in the area.

The General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of BSN, Dare Ajiboye, called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to fix the access roads before the rainy season sets in.