Last week, the Presidency issued a 72-hour ultimatum to truck drivers that parked along Apapa port access road to vacate the roads. While the directive is commendable as it would help in restoring law and order to Apapa and its environs; these trucks have become nuisance creating gruesome traffic in areas such as Oshodi, Costain, Kirikiri, Old-Ojo road and Lagos-Badagry expressway.
The more problematic issue is that most of these trucks are carrying empty containers heading to the ports as the shipping companies do not have empty container holding bays. As the truckers resolve to park indiscriminately on Lagos roads, the traffic situation in Lagos has only worsened by this directive.
The President should direct the shipping companies to provide sufficient holding bays for the trucks to drop their empties. This would prevent more gridlocks from happening in other areas of the state as the truckers can return peacefully to their truckgarages.
