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By Kenneth Jukpor
As part of efforts to dissipate the traffic congestion on Lagos port access roads, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has proposed special training for officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The Executive Secretary of NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, made this proposal when he paid a working visit to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his office in Alausa, yesterday.
Bello offered the Council‘s assistance to train LASTMA officials for better service delivery in the port axis, an offer that was welI-received by the governor who added that LASTMA should have an office in Apapa.
The NSC boss who was accompanied by some directors, disclosed that the purpose of the meeting was to brief the governor on some key issues like multimodal approach to cargo delivery and evacuation, 24-hour port operations, digitalisation of the port and traffic management.
He emphasised the importance of synergy and coordination, further stressing that provision of infrastructure must be prioritised.
According to Bello, “if infrastructure is not coordinated or integrated, very little progress will be made”.
Commending both Lagos State and the Federal Government, the NSC boss drew attention to Federal Government’s effort in ensuring that the ports access roads are completed.
Bello also presented to Governor Sanwo-Oiu and his team the 2015 NSC-commissioned National Freight Information and Transport Hub (NAFITH) report which outlined soiutions to the Apapa traffic problem that arose after the concessioning of the ports.
The NSC boss informed the governor about the monthly heads of Maritime agencies meeting. He said the synergy brought about by this meeting will impact positively on the Maritime sector, leading to economic gains for the nation.
Governor Sanwo-Olu who was at the meeting with his deputy, Dr. Femi Hamzat, the commissioner of transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, permanent secretary in the ministry of transport, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu and the Special Assistant Transportation, Mr. Oluwatoyin Fayinka assured the team from Shippers’ Council of his cooperation, stating that the goals of his government and that of Shippers’ Council in terms of restoring sanity to Apapa and making Lagos a smart city are aligned.
This information was disseminated in a press release signed by NSC’s Head of Public Relations, Rakiya Zubairu.
