In a bid to decongest the roads and improve port activities at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos State, the Federal Government is considering the possibility of linking the port to the national rail line.
This is as few containers and imported vehicles are moved through the waterways by barges.
The Tide reports that since the commissioning of the port in 1977, cargo evacuation has been through the roads, as the port is not linked to rail line.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Magdalene Ajani, disclosed the Federal Government’s plan during a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, recently.
She said government was determined to reduce the number of trucks on the port access roads.
According to her, cargo evacuation from the port has been hampered due to severe gridlock on the port access road.
“We have extended the rail from Ebute-Metta to Apapa because we want to really solve this problem henceforth, and that construction is ongoing. We are also looking at the possibility of extending from Apapa to Tin Can, so that most of these containers will get hooked on the rail at least straight to Ibadan Dry Port.
“Ibadan Dry Port is already ongoing. We’ve had some discussions with Ogun State to say maybe we could put another dry port in Abeokuta. But these are things that people have to come in and do.
“Government can’t do everything. It is either the state or private investors that will need to do those ones”, she said.
Tin Can Island Port was commissioned during the administration of then military Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, while the construction of the port began in 1973 under the administration of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd).