By Steve Agbota
The Tin-Can Island Port (TCIP) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing have decried the indiscriminate dumping of refuse along the Tin-Can Port access road.
Speaking at a joint inspection last week, along the Port corridor, Port Manager TCIPC, NPA, Mallam Buba Jubrin, said that all hands must be on deck to address the anomalies of indiscriminate refuse disposal along the port corridor, even as he noted that the port access road must be completed in no time.
The government institutions lamented that the waste disposal along the road has affected the proposed beautification of the corridor, which was in the original master plan of the construction work as executed by Messrs. Dangote Limited.
The port manager assured that the Managing Director of the NPA will 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 Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the Lagos State Government in addressing the bad condition of the corridor, noting that the setbacks can be attributed to lack of collaboration between contractors and NPA.He also pointed out that the Port Authority was not carried along in the ongoing project while that the next line of action should be the completion of the project.
He stressed the need for government officials and the various contractors to make progress on the road by using relevant synergy to resolve the anomalies.
On his part, Director, Highway, Federal Controller of Works, Lagos , Mr. Umar Bakare said that the project runs from Gbagada, hence progress has been recorded in that axis, saying that the projects are in phases but maintained that the port corridor has been discouraging with the arbitrary disposal of refuse.
While responding CEO, Arabella Landscape Ltd, Babatola Akinkugbe maintained that the Liverpool axis was a bit better compared to what was seen at the Coconut-Sunrise end of the road.
The contracting firm boss under the Ministry of Works and Housing, noted that the general state of the port corridors was not impressive, adding that indiscipline and abuse on the road by Nigerians over waste disposal was responsible for the present condition of the road.
He added that the indiscriminate refuse dump along the road was an eyesore, even as he further stressed the need for law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone found dumping refuse along the corridor.
Akinkugbe expressed optimism that if Oshodi is cleared by the government, then the port corridor wouldn’t be an issue. He stressed that once the contractors get access to work, then the problem on the road will be half solved.