How To Convert Apapa-Oshodi Traffic Crisis To Economic Advantage – Expert

How To Convert Apapa-Oshodi Traffic Crisis To Economic Advantage – Expert

ABUJA – Dr. Francis Ntamu, the Chief Economic Adviser to Cross River State, and Chief Ex­ecutive of the Cross River State Planning Commission, on Monday revealed how to convert the perennial Osho­di-Apapa Expressway traffic crisis into economic advan­tage, saying that a rail line along the corridor would solve the problem for good.

Dr. Ntamu, a former private sector specialist for the African Development Bank (AfDB), spoke as a guest speaker at Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) 2nd annual seminar with the theme: Nigeria’s Trou­bled Economy: Aviation, Rail, Maritime as rescue sectors, which held in Abuja.

He said: “Conversion of traffic crises on Apapa-Osho­di Expressway can happen if we have a light rail on that corridor, for instance, and with the co-sharing that is likely to happen next year, when the Lekki deep port comes on stream, I imagine possibilities that the burden on that road will reduce.”

Ntamu also lauded the Nasarawa State government’s plan to construct Keffi -Abuja Light Rail, stressing that such a project would reduce travel time and alleviate the suffer­ings of the masses.

“I like the fact that Nasar­awa State government is thinking through Keffi-Abuja Light Rail opportunity, these are areas that I imagine will impact on the common man, cut down on the travel time, it will reduce the challenge of sitting in the vehicle for 9 hours on that stretch of the road and driving probably one kilometer per two hours. So I imagine that that is a lot coming up but the big risk for us, I ask, is the risk that comes with regime change. When you have a regime change what happens? Are we going to have a scenario where the baby will be thrown away with the bathwater? Or are we going to have someone who would say look, we are build­ing upon this opportunity, we need good drivers for inclusive triple opportunity,” he added.

Earlier, in his opening re­marks, Mr. Chris Agabi, the Chairman, Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association, lamented that all modes of transportation including air, rail, road, ma­rine and pipeline are under performing.