By Uchenna Eletuo
Lagos – Dr Emma Oparah, Secretary of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the Lagos State Government to repair the Seme Border link road, in order to ease trade in the country.
Oparah, a Seme-Badagry Customs Command-based customs agent, appealed to the authorities to repair the road to stem the incidence of accidents, loss of lives, and the attendant losses of billions of Naira.
He said that although there was ongoing reconstruction work on the road, Oparah stressed the need for its speedy completion, to facilitate commerce on the route.
The customs agent told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the road contributed a lot the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He commended the Lagos state government for its commitment to the reconstruction of the expressway, while berating the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for failure to release funds.
According to him, the road is basically an international highway linking the West African countries and is therefore a responsibility of the ECOWAS.
“That road is an internationally strategic, economic road.
“It used to be the route of ambassadors, envoys and top diplomats coming to Nigeria but because of its terrible state, these personalities now prefer to come in by air.
“ A journey between Lagos and Seme which used to take about forty five minutes, now takes many hours,’’ Oparah said.
“Stakeholders operating on the route are suffering because of its bad state.
“Our sufferings and losses cannot be quantified. If ECOWAS is not forthcoming because of funds, the Lagos state government and the Federal Government should collaborate to fix the road.
“ It is a life wire of our economy, but no importer wants to use Seme because of the pitiable state of the road. About 80 per cent of our trucks carrying goods break down on the road.
“Importers now prefer either the sea or by air. Customs agents at Seme are having it real rough,’’ he said.
Oparah also expressed thanks to the Nigeria Customs Service for removing checkpoints on the road.
The Lagos/Badagry Expressway is the local name for the Nigerian section of the Trans–West African Coastal Highway. The expressway connects Lagos, Nigeria with Dakar, Senegal. Extensive reconstruction of the Lagos portion of the expressway began in 2010.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured residents that the ongoing Lagos-Badagry Expressway Expansion project would be completed before the end of 2019. (NAN)