The directives by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo aimed at easing traffic congestion in the Apapa area of Lagos State and ensuring the relocation of oil companies’ headquarters to the Niger Delta have not been complied with.
Some oil companies have insisted there is no need to move to the region as they already have robust operations there and are only maintaining small head offices in other parts of the country, particularly Lagos. Others have claimed they have headquarters there and are, therefore, not affected by the mandate. A source at an oil company with presence in the Niger Delta, who sought anonymity, said his firm maintains a Lagos office because it would be impracticable to transact business elsewhere.
Similarly, fuel tankers and container trucks doing business at the Apapa port and surrounding depots have returned to access roads inwards Apapa, contravening the order, which forbade indiscriminate parking. It was observed that the heavy-duty vehicles have in the last few days begun forming two lanes inwards Apapa port. Osinbajo, late last month, made an unscheduled visit to Apapa and directed a joint task force of security operatives to clear the area of the gridlock within 72 hours.
