The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has advised the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to relocate truck parks in Apapa to help ease the traffic gridlock in the area.
She made the appeal at the 14th annual business law conference which held virtually.
She said that the truck parks in Apapa have contributed to congestion in the area.
The NPA MD called for the provision of large truck parks at designated places outside the Apapa area.
“There is a need to have designated places for the trucks to stay and wait for a call-up. If we don’t have designated places, the trucks will wake up and drive to the ports.
“So Lagos State government must take ownership in providing designated truck terminals where they will be a linkage and call-up with the terminal operators and Nigerian ports.
“But now we have 36 number of truck locations all around the Apapa ports environment.
“We shouldn’t have many truck parks. We should have larger truck parks that are outside the ports environment.
“Why should you have a truck park inside Apapa area?
“Lagos State should review the land use charge attributable to trailer parks. There are some locations in Apapa, why should you build truck parks there? No, that place is too congested already. They should push it out of the town.”
Usman said that there was an ongoing discussion with the Lagos State government to provide larger trailer parks.