…urges urgent federal intervention to prevent economic and safety crisis
By Sodiq Adelakun
Lagos State has called on the Federal Government to urgently repair the deteriorating Apapa Bridge and adjoining road networks, warning that a collapse could trigger a major safety and economic crisis in the nation’s busiest port corridor.
The warning was issued on Monday by Mr. Adekoya Hassan, Senior Special Assistant on Transportation and Logistics to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He emphasized that Apapa serves as a critical gateway for goods, tankers, and commuters accessing the Lagos Port Complex, making the road network vital to national trade.
Hassan stressed the urgency of intervention by the Ministry of Works, saying: “We are concerned about the outbound heavy-duty truck traffic from this terminal. If this road is fixed 10 times, we’ll still have the same result, which is collapse. It is the only exit road from Apapa, Lagos port; the current road has been under construction for a while. If the Minister does not pay attention, a collapse could have a major impact on the nation’s ports.”
Truck operators also voiced concern over the state of the roads. Saheed Mahmoud, Chairman of Apapa Truck Cargoes, described the damage to trucks and the frequent accidents caused by the poor road conditions.
Chairman of Klassique Tenor Limited, Mr. Ayo Vaughan urged the Federal Government to implement durable reconstruction, noting that previous repairs had failed.
“About three months ago, the Federal Government carried out some repairs, but they have already collapsed. Concrete, lasting solutions are needed to prevent future disruptions,” Vaughan said.
The Lagos State government called on the Ministry of Works to prioritise the Apapa corridor to ensure safe and efficient operations at the ports, stressing that durable repairs are essential to prevent a looming disaster.
