Improper Waste Disposal Threatens Completion Of Oshodi-Apapa Port Access Road

Improper waste disposal at the Berger Auto market – Liverpool end of the Oshodi-Apapa expressway is currently threatening the completion of the dual carriage way.

LEADERSHIP gathered that contractors are unable to commence road beautification due to indiscriminate dumping of waste along the axis by residents of the area.

According to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH), the poor waste disposal mechanism along the road affected the proposed beautification of the corridor which was in the original master plan of the  construction work as executed by Messrs. Dangote Limited.

Speaking during joint inspection of the corridor, over the weekend, the Port manager, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Tin-Can Island Port Complex(TCIPC), Mallam Buba Jubrin, bemoaned indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the dual carriage way.

He, however, called on all hands to be on deck to address the anomalies, noting that the road must be completed as and when due.

The Port manager further disclosed that the managing director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, would be notified in furtherance to act swiftly to clear the refuse from the road in conjunction with the relevant bodies of the state government

According to him, NPA will work closely with the FMWH and the Lagos State Government to address the waste disposal condition of the corridor.

He noted that the setbacks can be attributed to lack of collaboration between the contractors and NPA adding that the Port Authority was not carried along in the ongoing project.

He said: “since the elections are over, the next line of action should be the completion of the project. Government officials and the various contractors need to make progress on the road and synergy would solve the anomalies.”

Speaking earlier, the director of Highway, Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Engr. Umar Bakare, noted that the project runs from Gbagada, hence progress has been recorded in that axis.

He stated further that the projects are in phases but maintained that the port corridor has been discouraging with the arbitrary disposal of refuse by residents of the axis.

Speaking on the improper refuse disposal, the managing director, Arabella Landscape Ltd, Babatola Akinkugbe, noted that the general state of the port corridors were not impressive.

Akinkugbe disclosed that indiscipline and abuse of the road by Nigerians over waste disposal was responsible for the present condition of the road.

“The indiscriminate refuse dump along the road was an eyesore. There is a need for law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone found dumping refuse along the corridor. If Oshodi is cleared by the government, then the port corridor wouldn’t be an issue and once the contractors get access to work, then the problem on the road will be half solved,” he stated.