The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, yesterday, cleared shanties and extortion points leading to the Lagos ports.
The rising shanties and extortion points in the states have
created gridlocks on the major roads, along with miscreants and hoodlums
causing havoc daily.
However, the operation, which commenced yesterday, will be
effected by the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, security
department of the NPA, and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority,
LASTMA.
Speaking to newsmen on the development, Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, who was represented by the Head of Operations, Lagos
State Special Traffic Management Committee, Hassan Adekoya, said: “The Lagos
State government is committed to uplift the standard of the ports in Lagos and
ensure all encumbrances inimical to trade facilitation are removed.
“I am supporting this initiative by the NPA because the
Lagos port is a reflection of the state and we must do all within our powers to
support the management of the NPA to keep it clean, safe and secured.
“We will keep clearing them until they get the message of
the government’s efforts to sanitize the ports in Lagos.
“Information has gone ahead before now that the shanties and
other illegal structures will be removed
along the port corridors to keep off traders, criminals and unwanted
persons around the areas.
“The operation will last for seven days, starting from the
Apapa Port Complex, APC, down to Lilypond, back to inward Apapa to Tin-Can
first and second gates and Kirikiri Lighter Terminal one and two.”
Also speaking, an official of the NPA, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity, stated that the leadership of the agency initiated the
clearance of shanties along the port access roads because “the influx
unauthorized around the port area was becoming worrisome.”