(FILE) Apapa Traffic gridlock

The trailer park currently under construction in Apapa, Lagos State is 95 per cent completed, and will soon serve as the holding bay to 340 trucks when it becomes operational .

The engineer supervising the Project, Mrs Osarieme Osakue who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday said it would help in tackling traffic gridlocks around Apapa axis.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Osakue during an inspection of the project in Lagos, said that it was being handled by some contractors, a consultant and the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

“It is a contract that has a wide scope.

“It will have bridges that will be fully dedicated to moving trucks into the park.

“This will be in addition to two pedestrian bridges that will separate pedestrian traffic from other road users,” she said.

She said that the project had experienced various challenges since 2009 when it was awarded.

The repair of 14 kilometres of the highway was part of the project she said.

She explained that the scope of work would include the construction of 340 truck stands to hold trucks going in and out of the ports.

She added that it would also include a port exit road that would be taking traffic out of Apapa.

She said that the project was nearing completion and would have other facilities like toilets, bathrooms, a police post and trailer agents office among others.

She expressed hope that the park when in operation would be reduce huge trailer traffic off the roads ending into and out of the ports.

“Right now, we have achieved 94.58 per cent completion on all the projects.

“The main dedicated bridge project has been finished remaining only the asphalt surfacing.

“The stands that will accommodate 340 trucks have been built and completed, two pedestrian bridges have also been built.

“The port exit road has been built but not fully completed.

“We hope to complete the work within this first quarter of 2018 which ends in March if the contractors are paid what they are being owed.

“The contractors have submitted an interim statement but they are yet to be paid.

“Contractors always tie completion of work to their payments, ” she said.

Osakue also said that the Federal Government was up to date with payment to the contractors to ensure speedy completion of the project.

She said that local contents were being adhered to in the materials for the construction and personnel being recruited .

“Right now we have 27 Nigerian workers on site and very few expatriates, so the local content is in order.”

She added that most of the materials being used on the project were locally sourced.

They include : the granite, the sharp sand,as well as those being materials used for earth works and cement are locally sourced, she said.

“Only few things like the joints on the bridge are imported ,” she said.

Also, Mr Paolo Prono, the Executive Director, Borini Prono Co. Nig, Ltd., the contractors handling the project said that the project was under funded in the past.

He said that there was another contract added to the project to protect the shorelines and that it would be completed in October.

He, however, said that the existing contract was going to be completed “in a couple of months”.