Business
Gridlock Returns To Apapa Wharf Axis
Gridlock has returned to Apapa/Wharf Roads in Lagos, due to loading by petroleum tanker drivers at private depots in the area.
The Tide source observed that the gridlock, forced some motorists plying the route to abandon their cars and walk to their destinations.
One of the motorists, Mr Tunde Adigun, said that the traffic caused by petroleum tankers and articulated vehicles had been terrible since the beginning of the week.
The traffic jam has been terrible, and sometimes it is practically a standstill.
“The last time we saw traffic like this was in July. This week, when the tankers reappeared on this road, it has resurfaced, and till now it has not relented,’’ Adigun said.
He appealed to the state government to relocate tank farms from Apapa, pleading that petroleum tankers should be loaded at NNPC depots instead of the private depots.
The depots on Apapa/Wharf roads include, MRS Oil and Gas, Nipco Oil and Gas, Ateo Oil Ltd., Techno Oil and Gas, Mobil Oil and Gas and Folawiyo Oil and Gas.
Others are, Oando Oil and Gas, and Conoil Oil and Gas.
Depots on Coconut/Apapa Road axis include, Capital Oil and Gas, Sahara Oil and Gas, Integrated Oil and Gas, Eternal Oil and Gas, and Total Oil and Gas.
Some others are Acorn Oil and Gas, Obat Oil Petroleum, Aquitaine Oil Ltd., and Spog Oil Nig. Ltd.
When contacted, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said the gridlock was caused by petroleum tankers loading in the area.
Korodo said that loading was low at the NNPC depots and the tanker drivers were not getting adequate petroleum products, so they returned to their base in Apapa and Coconut Road.
According to the chairman, NNPC depots in the South-West are located at Ejigbo, Mosinmi and Ibadan, but they only operate skeletal loading.
“Recently, when NNPC commenced loading of products at its Ejigbo and Ibadan depots, most of the tankers relocated to the place to load.
“During this period, there was no gridlock of petroleum tankers along Ijora/Apapa/Wharf Road, the only tankers plying there were those of major oil marketers located in the area.
“Only articulated vehicles going to Wharf were causing traffic, but now that loading is low and some of them are not getting the products as expected, they have returned to their base,’’ he said.
The NUPENG chairman said that since they knew that products were readily available there, they did not care how long they had to wait to load, so long as they got the products.
Korodo said the solution to the problem was to ensure there was massive loading of products at the NNPC depots nearby, which would keep many away from Apapa.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
