The
Lagos Chamber of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and other access roads to the
ports in Lagos is destroying businesses and the economy of the country.
Speaking
at its 2014 quarterly press conference on the economy in Lagos, the President
of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, lamented the total collapse of transportation
logistics and access to the major ports in the country – Apapa and Tin Can
Island Port complexes, saying this has brought about an urgent need to relocate
the tank farms to the outskirts of the city.
Bello
said getting to the ports has become an
unprecedented nightmare; moving out of
the ports is even a greater nightmare, saying that the entire system has become
totally dysfunctional and delivery of empty containers and the evacuation of
cargo has become a terrifying experience.
He
said, “To fix these, there is urgent need to relocate the tank farms to the
outskirts of the city. Current location
of the tank farms is a major factor in the huge traffic congestion. They also constitute a serious safety hazards
to citizens.
There
is an urgent need to revive the rail system for the purpose of evacuating cargo
from the Lagos ports; urgent need to make the refineries functional to reduce
importation of petroleum products which will reduce the convergence of tankers
at the various ports and an urgent need to improve the reliability, safety and
integrity of pipelines across the country as a means of moving petroleum
products.
“This
in fact, is the most efficient and cost effective mode of transportation of
petroleum products.”
He
noted that this development has been taking its toll on the private sector and
the entire economy, especially in frequent accidents resulting from fallen
containers in transit because of the state of the roads; high demurrage
resulting from the slow evacuation of cargo.
He
disclosed that charges by haulage vehicles had increased astronomically because
of the long travel time as well as turnaround time, high demurrage by terminal
operators and shipping lines resulting from the slow pace of cargo evacuation
from the ports, paralysis of other businesses along the axis because of reduced
patronage due to reduced access by customers.
He
is of the view that the development has had profound adverse impact on the
welfare of citizens that are resident in these locations and posed a serious
risk to the many bridges and flyovers along the axis which carry heavy load of
stationary vehicles, including tankers for several hours.
He
further commented on the new cement grade policy, saying that the new policy,
which specifies high grades of cement for building, plastering and pillars, is
seen by most operators to affect their turnover.
He
noted that there was no enough transmission time allowed for operators to
adjust their plants and inputs.
“The
few available were highly priced,” he said.
He
noted among others that many technically skilled labour have taken up the job
of commercial motorcyclists which apparently was relatively more financially
rewarding; Late passage and signing of the Appropriate bill; High cost of building
materials, especially cement and iron rods, Late payment for work done and duly
certified.
“The
policy implication is that there is need for more government investment in
vocational and technical education. There should also be a deliberate policy to
reduce cost of building materials.
Governments at all levels should as well promptly pay contractors after
due certification” he stated.
Vanguard
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