WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2011-04-22 Time: 10:00:06 Posted By: News Poster
Representatives of the National Union and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ Association, PTD, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, among other stakeholders in the oil business have signed an agreement with Lagos State Government to evacuate all tankers currently parked along Oshodi-Apapa, Epressway on or before May 3, 2011.
Those who signed the agreement were Mr Okafor Steven, NARTO; Comrade Tokunbo Korodo, NUPENG; Chief Remi Ogungbemi, AMARTO; Ifeanyi Ekwunife, RTEAN and Engr. W. K Atitebi, Federal Ministry of Works.
The agreement which was reached at a stakeholders’ meeting on indiscriminate parking of tankers and haulage trucks on the Oshodi-Apapa road called by the state Ministry of Transportation became necessary following chaotic traffic situation that has continued to cause unbearable hardship on residents and road users as a result of indiscriminate parking of tankers along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, particularly Mile-2 axis that leads into and outside the nation’s major seaport, TinCan Port.
Therefore, the measure was to ensure immediate decongestion that would allow for free vehicular and human movements as well as ensure the safety of lives and property along the axis.
It will be recalled that the presence of tankers parking indiscriminately along the road increased recently since the end of the strike between the federal government and NARTO.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa who presided at the well attended meeting held in Alausa, Ikeja frowned at the level of indiscipline being exhibited with impunity by tanker drivers on the highway.
He expressed the worry and concern of the state government over the situation which he described as man_made and avoidable.
Opeifa, explained that the forum was convened on the directive of the governor as a means of finding a lasting solution to the problem, saying the government did not want to use the option of enforcement on the tanker drivers.
He stated with concern that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA operatives who have been deployed to manage the situation were often times attacked by the tanker drivers while trying to enforce traffic laws and warned that the act must stop forthwith.
The participants at the forum identified 21 factors as causes of the problem which include: non availability of fuel in the country except Lagos, ongoing construction in front of Tin Can Port which restricted the three lanes to two and eventually to one at the entrance of the port due to the haulage vehicles which have occupied a lane, absence of truck terminals for dry cargos, lack of depot owners to provide holding/loading base at their tank farms.
Others are: indiscriminate parking of tankers along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in front of MRS Terminal, need for the expansion of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Truck Terminal at Orile-Iganmu, need for tank farms to have holding bays.
The forum, however, appealed to the Federal Government to repair all the refineries all over the country in order to reduce the pressure on Lagos roads.
The stakeholders also stressed the need for the construction of another port by the Federal government to complement the existing ones in Lagos just as they urged the management of Nigerian Port Authority NPA to ensure adequate holding bay.
The forum therefore resolved among others; Tankers should find their way out of Lagos since the strike is over, if there is fuel scarcity loading tickets should not be issued to tankers to come and load in Lagos. NUPENG and the state government to maintain the Akodo Accord All depot owners should go to either Capital or Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Truck Terminal to secure a parking space. NUPENG, PTD, DAAPMA should work out in formula to ensure that all NUPENG tankers should leave the road by 3rd May, 2011 while NARTO trucks by Friday 22nd April, 2011 should leave the road.
Others include: quick completion of phases two and three at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu truck terminal, reconstruction of the parking space at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Truck Terminal in order to accommodate more tankers; Lagos State Government to work with truckers in securing a holding bay in Epe or Ikorodu for trucks outside Lagos., rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway by the Federal Government, enforcement on illegal parking of tankers and trucks on the road should be strengthened up.
That Nigerian Port Authority in line with International Practices should ensure the establishment of holding bay inside the Port.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 22 April 2011
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201104220099.html?viewall=1