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Saboteurs Responsible for Apapa Gridlock—Opeifa
By Adedapo Adesanya
There are strong indications that the gridlock being experienced in the Apapa axis of Lagos State will not see any improvement this year.
This is because the Presidential Task Team (PTT) on the Restoration of Law and Order has faulted stakeholders for sabotaging its efforts.
The Vice-Chairman of PTT, Mr Kayode Opeifa, declared recently that his team has no control over the delay in transit ranging from three to six weeks for trucks to reach the ports from Mile-2, a distance of about 10 kilometres.
Mr Opeifa, during a media tour of the Apapa port environment, said the inefficiency and lack of proper coordination among stakeholders were the major issues affecting port and traffic in Apapa and its environ.
“There is no problem on this axis of Apapa, what we have are issues. Some of the issues are that the construction is ongoing but a lot of transporters don’t have the information which their agencies, authorities owe them. They need to inform their clients and find a way to inform the public.
‘‘This is because a lot of people are taking advantage of the happenings to extort their principals, drivers exploiting the managers, managers exploiting the shippers, shippers exploiting me and you.
“So, there is a need for information for the public to understand what’s going on here. Then the stakeholders should take ownership of the place.
“Terminal operators should be interested in how people access their terminals and not just attending to whoever they see.
“Transporter should be interested in the welfare of the drivers.
‘‘The port management needs to be concerned with all the issues because somebody needs to tell them when the road will be closed and when they need to come, our job in PTT is to maintain the law and order by ensuring that only those who are asked to come are allowed to move on the road.
“Unfortunately, we are at the receiving ends; everyone thinks we are the one deciding. No, we are not, we only carry out order restoration based on the directives of the operation of the port. But when that operation of the port has efficiency issue, it is a problem to the entire system.
“The contractor needs to gain access to certain places to do its work, the earlier the contractor gains access to where he needs to work, the better for the operation of the port. These are the issues.
‘‘However, the ports must keep working too. We need the port managers to be more responsive in the overall scheme of things.
‘‘We believe in few months’ time the Apapa area will take better shape for movements and port activities, much more orderliness would be restored.’’
Speaking on the transit park for trucks, Mr Opeifa stated, “Regardless of restriction from the construction site, from Mile 2 to major parts along the corridor, you can see you no longer see trucks from Mile 2 to Oshodi, and once the truck moves inside here, (Berger, Coconut area), they feel more relaxed in the port corridor.
“We have no control over how many hours they will spend before getting into the port which depends on port operations. If not for the construction work going on, the movement into the port should be faster. Many of the trucks you see don’t have any business at the port and if you ask them, they don’t even know they are not supposed to be on the road.
“We were sent by the Presidency to restore law and order and we have honestly, achieved that to a large extent. What I’d needed at the ports now is the efficiency in all operations and there is a need for a proper definition of those who supposed to be at the port and not.
“Most of the issues around here comes from one or two terminals out of 15 terminals. So those who are charged with the responsibility of regulating the port should be at their best efficiency,” Mr Opeifa said.
Giving input on the construction timeline, the PTT Vice Chairman noted that the contractor has done a fantastic work so far with the target to complete work between November and December 2020.
He explained, “Our job is to work pending the introduction of electronic call-up system, earlier scheduled to commence on August 1, 2019, but a year after, we are not there yet.
“We believe by the time the road is completed and electronic call-up system commences, in December 2020, 80 per cent of restoration of order would have been achieved and we will see less of human disorderliness. Digitalization will replace operations and we have to deal with fewer issues.”
By Dipo Olowookere
Residents and motorists plying the Aina Obembe Road in Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, may soon heave a sigh of relief as the excruciating traffic gridlock being experienced in the area both day and night may soon be a thing of the past.
This is because the chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, has directed those involved in indiscriminate truck parking along the road to remove the heavy-duty vehicles within one week, threatening to invoke appropriate enforcement measures for noncompliance with this directive.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the management of SENA Company, which owns the affected trucks, as well as the leadership of Oluwadara CDA and other key stakeholders like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the council’s secretariat, Mr Agbaje frowned at the prolonged inconvenience suffered by the community, stressing that public roads must remain accessible and safe for all users.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative approach in resolving the issue without undermining legitimate business operations, noting that he’s focused on finding a lasting solution to the gridlock experienced between Oluwaga and Aina Obembe, where parked trucks have continued to obstruct traffic, disrupt business activities, and pose safety concerns for residents and motorists.
He tasked the firm and the CDA to jointly identify and implement alternative parking arrangements that would remove all trucks from the affected roads and restore the free flow of traffic.
He declared that, “The welfare of our people remains our highest priority. No individual or corporate organisation should obstruct public infrastructure or create avoidable hardship for residents. We must ensure that economic activities coexist with public safety, order, and convenience.”
The council chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting orderly development, ensuring safe and accessible roads, improving traffic management, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive alongside the well-being of residents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.
According to an update issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, the import levy on new vehicles has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while the levy on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, which took effect on July 1, 2026.
The customs said the policy is designed to ease the cost of vehicle imports while advancing the government’s environmental sustainability objectives through the newly introduced Green Tax.
The implementation also reduces the overall import duty on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
As part of the Green Tax framework, a new environmental surcharge of between two per cent and four per cent will apply to petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2,000cc. However, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and passenger cars with engines below 2,000cc are exempt from the surcharge.
Beyond the automobile sector, the fiscal measures also lower import duties on several essential goods. The duty on imported rice has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, while crude palm oil now attracts a 28.75 per cent duty.
In addition, import duties on agricultural and manufacturing machinery have been completely removed to support local production, while Waste PET has been added to the export prohibition list to encourage domestic recycling.
By Dipo Olowookere
Plans are underway to carry out a comprehensive data capture and registration exercise of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators within Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.
This move, according to the council chairman, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, is part of proactive measures to strengthen the security of lives and property across the Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The exercise, he said, would be executed in partnership with security agencies and transport unions.
On Tuesday, the council chief convened a high-level security meeting with leaders of commercial transport unions and key security stakeholders operating within the area.
Mr Agbaje expressed concern over the increasing influx of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke) operators into the LCDA without proper documentation or profiling.
According to him, the absence of reliable records poses significant security challenges and could provide opportunities for criminal elements to infiltrate communities under the guise of commercial transportation.
He stressed that security is best achieved through preventive measures, noting that effective profiling and documentation remain essential tools in safeguarding residents and protecting the council from emerging security threats.
Mr Agbaje disclosed that under the new security framework, all Okada and Keke parks and operational locations across the LCDA would be officially documented, adding that every duly verified operator would receive an official identification jacket bearing a unique coded number to facilitate easy identification and monitoring.
He also said a mandatory guarantor system will be introduced to strengthen accountability, ensuring that every registered rider has a verifiable guarantor who can be contacted whenever necessary.
The chairman noted that these measures are designed not only to improve security coordination but also to protect law-abiding commercial operators and discourage criminal activities within the council.
Leaders of the various transport unions welcomed the initiative, noting that proper documentation will distinguish genuine operators from criminal elements, enhance public confidence, and promote a safer working environment for commercial transporters.
Also, the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Ayobo and Ipaja Commands commended the initiative, describing it as a timely and commendable step towards strengthening community policing. They reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the council to ensure full compliance and sustain peace and public order.
