We’ve lost control of Oshodi/Apapa gridlock — Police

As the traffic along the Mile2/Berger Bus Stop inward Tin-can Island worsens, a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in Mile-2/Apapa axis yesterday, declared that he and his men have lost control of the traffic situation.

 

He, however, accused officials of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, of being responsible for the gridlock.

 

Speaking with Vanguard about the traffic situation along that route, Ajao accused NUPENG officials of taking over the control of traffic, insisting that it was their function. He said: “We have completely lost control of the situation to NUPENG officials; there is nothing we can do now.”

 

The situation is so bad that police officers along the route have been reduced to onlookers. A police officer, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, accused union officials of threatening to beat up police officers if they disturbed their operations.

 

The police officer lamented that despite several complaints at the Police office, no action had been taken.

 

The officer, who was visibly angry at the ugly situation, said: “Oga, we are tired. They said they have government authority to control the traffic, they are the ones directing the tanker drivers who only obey them.”

 

On the NUPENG official, the police officer said: “You said the government has given you people the authority to control the traffic, thank God these Vanguard people are here, Oya control the traffic.”

 

We’re victims of a corrupt system —NUPENG

 

Responding to the accusation by the police, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, dismissed claims that tanker drivers were responsible for the resurgence of gridlock on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway by indiscriminate parking of trucks, thus preventing other road users access to the expressway, saying tankers drivers were victims of a corrupt system.

 

The union said besides the ongoing road construction, all levels of government, and extortions by government agencies and touts working for security agencies or themselves should be blamed for the gridlock.

 

An official of the union, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, lamented that from Ibru jetty to the Second Rainbow bus stop, there were over 20 extortion points where tanker drivers were forced to part with different amounts of money.

 

The official said: “We are doing our best to ensure that our members allow other road users to access the road without much difficulties. But we are at the mercy of the federal, state, and local government agencies.

 

”The government task force makes money from tanker drivers, the state government makes money from tanker drivers, and the local government makes money from tanker drivers.

 

”They use hoodlums to extort money from the taker drivers daily. Where do the tanker drivers get money to pay for these extortions? They are not the owners of the tankers or the products. They are just drivers working for their daily bread. They must distribute products when available to end users across the country.

 

“The current upsurge of tanker drivers to Lagos is because of the scarcity of PMS (Petrol) especially. Most of the tanker drivers you see around the Apapa axis have been there for not less than two weeks.

 

”The gridlock is compounded because the containerized truck and other heavy-duty trucks use the same road as the tanker drivers. Today, before tanker drivers can access the depot, it takes over one week between Mile 2 and the depots which ordinarily will not take three to five minutes to cover.

 

”The containerized and other trucks are ahead of the tankers, until they move and enter the port, the tanker drivers cannot access the jetty or fuel depot.

 

“After loading, it also takes almost three to four days to access Mile 2 because it is only the service lane from Sunrise to Cele Bus stop which other road users use. From the depots to the Cele Bus stop, there are about 20 extortion points where security agencies and their touts extort money from tanker drivers. I can tell you that our members are victims of the corrupt and ineffective system.

 

“We have pleaded with the government to rehabilitate government depots across the country. There are more than 15 federal depots across the country. As of today, it is only the government that is importing fuel. If the fuel is made available in these depots, there will be less pressure in Lagos and the issue of gridlock will reduce drastically.

 

“Let the government do its part by making the products available, flush out extortionists in the name of security agencies and touts on the road, our members will also do their part. ”We are not responsible for the resurgence of gridlock. We are victims, victims of a corrupt system. Our job is to make fuel available to consumers or end users whenever products are available.

 

Policemen lobby their DPOs for posting

 

“We don’t want to join issues with the police, but if the truth must be told, 80 per cent of the extortions are done by policemen directly or through their agents.

 

”From Mile 2 to Kirikri town, Ibru jetty, Bruwa and other places where there are jetties, you will see policemen either in uniform or on mufti, extorting tanker drivers directly or indirectly through their agents (touts).

 

”Whoever says he is fed up should resign. We are aware that policemen lobby their DPOs to be posted around Mile 2 to the jetties. These policemen make returns to those that posted them to such places. I can tell you that any DPO who denies this is only being economical with the truth.”

 

Truckers raise alarm

 

Meanwhile, truckers, under the aegis of the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Association, COMTUA, have alleged that 10 of their members have been killed by street urchins, popularly known as Agberos and hoodlums alleged to be members of the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee.

 

COMTUA, in a statement by its National President, Mr Yinka Aroyewun, also disclosed that some of its members were still missing as they could not be accounted for at the time of filing this report.

 

In the statement, titled ‘Extortion, vandalism, harassment and killing of truckers: A call for the intervention of government and its agencies’, Aroyewun explained that the excruciating torture, daily extortion and destruction of trucks “our members face in the hands of touts who position along port access roads and major highways in Lagos has become unbearable.”

 

He said: “To say the least, it is sad to note that this brazen illegality continues in broad daylight without any modicum of checks.

 

“In the face of all these nauseating experiences, we have remained law-abiding.  Instead of resorting to violence, we have written several petitions and official letters to government (at different levels) bidding to have relevant government authorities call the miscreants to order, all to no avail as all our entreaties are not attended to.

 

”Truly, the body language of the government is only a confirmation of the claim of the touts that they have the backing of the government and that they work in absolute connivance.

 

“It is with deep frustration that we write to highlight and bring to your notice the excruciating torture, daily extortion and destruction of trucks our members face in the hands of touts who position along port access roads and major highways in Lagos.

 

“To imagine the miscreants bragging openly that nobody and no government can stop them, that they own the government and that Yoruba land is theirs and, as such, anyone unwilling to comply should leave or cease to exist in Lagos.

 

”More so, that they are card-carrying members of the ruling party, only leaves any rational being to query if the Government functions to encourage and support illegality and criminals who openly act against established law and order in the state.

 

“Letters of complaint and consultation to the Park and Garages Committee, Park Administration Committee and Maritime Workers’ Union, MWUN, on the activities of their members also,  at best, fell on deaf ears as non-yielded results.

 

“Instead of applying civility, they resort to the most provocative affront as these groups, in connivance with Government Agencies, increase dues and extortion points.

 

“To be specific, Maritime Workers Union, MWUN, has 20 points from Coconut to Tin-Can Port Second gate where N2,000 is forcefully collected per point from our members.

 

“In all, 30 extortion points, between mile 2 and Sunrise where between N2,000 and N6,000 are forcibly collected per point.

 

“Of another serious concern is the involvement of a traditional ruler who encourages his committee members to create more points of extortion.

 

“The role of the state government is suspicious in this social vice and this is of grave concern to our association.”

 

Extortion driving transport cost —Freight Forwarders

 

Lending his voice to the gridlock and its effect on the economy, a former National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Eugene Nweke, said from the analysis of COMTUA, the level of extortion along the route had driven up the cost of transporting containers from the port to Alaba and Trade Fair market to over N200,000.

 

Nweke said: “COMTUA’s analysis of taking delivery to Alaba International Market indicates as follows:

 

*Mile 2 to Sunrise = 30 Points at ?2000:00 =?60,000:00

 

*Coconut to Tincan = 20 points @ ?2000:00 = ?40,000:00.

 

* From Ijora to Iyana Iba tuning ?45,000:00.

 

* From Iyana Iba tuning to Alaba International Market = ?70,000:00.

 

“Bring the subtotal to N215,000. At times, the tariff is raised higher the usual, by the order of an unknown boss. This is what the customs brokers and their clients encounter for trucking their cargo to the warehouse.

 

“These fees are forcefully collected most often, and it ends in an exchange of blows, forceful opening of the container to temper with the laden content and damage of trucks, to avoid such, you pay under pressure. “The only officially receipted payment is the ?5,000 to ?10,000 paid to the local government.”

 

Govt mum on COMTUA’s allegation, moves to clear gridlock

 

Responding to the accusation, the Lagos State Government reassured residents and motorists that it would continue engaging relevant stakeholders until the traffic gridlock being experienced around the Apapa-port axis was eradicated.

 

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, gave the assurance during an interactive meeting with relevant stakeholders including officials of the Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, on the permanent solutions to Apapa traffic gridlock.

 

Giwa noted that despite the success recorded in managing traffic around Apapa with the introduction of ‘Eto’ system to petroleum tankers, the state government is still working tirelessly to resolve other challenges to enable a seamless journey for motorists.

 

He said: “Government is trying to establish a process that will be seen as fair and beneficial to everyone no matter the delay.

 

“When the road is free, motorists will move freely without traffic and tankers turnover will be high. Traffic causes health, security and other social problems.

 

“The administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is discussing the involvement of the private sector in providing parking space where tankers could temporarily park while awaiting their call-up for loading.”

 

Meanwhile, the state government could not give a response as of press time on the allegation by COMTUA over the killings of their members by suspected Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee.