The Lagos State Government has approved the deployment of an e-Call up system for the Deep Seaport, in Lekki-Epe Free Trade Zone of the state.
The measure, it was gathered is aimed at averting attendant severe gridlock often caused by articulated trucks accessing the port corridor.
The state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, stated these at a Stakeholder’s Meeting at the weekend, which had in attendance top government functionaries from the Ministry of Transportation, representatives of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Lagos Free Zone, Lekki Deep Sea Port and Messrs. Call up technologies.
Explaining the state government’s plan, based on the urgent need to implement a sustainable, effective and technology driven solution of truck movement in the Lekki-Epe corridor, Oladeinde, added that the application of e-call up system would help synchronize movement of trucks assessing the Lekki Deep Seaport and other industries within the corridor, starting from Eleko junction to Lekki Free Trade Zone.
He also shared the state and Federal Government plans on road network expansion and inter-modal transport systems at an initial meeting held with the Five Chairmen of Local Government Areas, LGAs, Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in Epe division, Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, LWIL, representatives of Dangote Industries Limited, Nigeria Union Of Petroleum And Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and the Nigeria Police Force, NPF.
According to Oladeinde, “an interim arrangement is also being put in place to decongest the roads through evacuation of all illegal tankers from the red zone by a joint Task Force of the State, LGAs/LACDAs, Security Agencies and Stakeholders.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, in his contribution, while analysing the challenges in Apapa and Tincan, stressed the need to prevent a similar occurrence in the Lekki-Epe axis, “hence, the urgent need to deploy a Truck Queuing Management System.”
Giwa, explained that the e-Call up system, “is an effective way to manage the movement of trucks from holding bays to the pre-gate, before entering the port premises.
“Six holding bays have been identified between Alaro City and other nearby towns in Epe and its environs which are currently under consideration for certification.”