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  • Sanwo-Olu inspects road projects, says traffic will improve in Apapa by October

    Sanwo-Olu inspects road projects, says traffic will improve in Apapa by October

    The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said traffic will improve in Apapa axis in October, as all roads and bridges would have been completed.

    Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance on Sunday during an inspection of the construction work in the port city.

    The Governor, on Sunday, set out on a five-hour tour of projects and infrastructure being developed on the Apapa corridor to ease traffic congestion in the area.

    A poser raised by the Governor on why container-laden trucks usually disregard the State’s traffic laws and park on roads generated heated arguments among terminal operators, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA).

    In the ensuing blame game, Sanwo-Olu expressed disapproval of the truck drivers’ action and the failure of the NPA to enforce extant regulations preventing trucks not yet approved for loading to park indiscriminately on the highways.

    The Governor stressed the need to overhaul the terminal system at the ports, noting that there was no reason for the trucks to park on the highways if their dedicated terminals were operational.

    He disclosed that the State Government had made a request to the Federal Government to prevail on the concessionaire that will be operating the 700-truck capacity Lilypond Terminal at Apapa to open the facility for use without further delay.

    Sanwo-Olu revealed that the State Government had donated additional 30 hectares of land in Ijora area as part of the solutions initiated to address the problem, noting that the land would expand the holding capacity of the Lilypond terminal.

    He said: “Today, I have taken time to personally inspect some projects being developed both by the Federal and State governments to improve traffic around Constain, Iganmu, Apapa and Mile areas. The projects are initiated specifically to address the chaos created mainly by indiscriminate parking of trailers along the routes. Already, there is an ongoing rehabilitation work on Marine Bridge, where a stretch has completely been scarified.

    “There is also a Lilypond Terminal, a major holding bay for heavy-duty trucks, which has not been operated after it was transferred to a concessionaire. We are aware that the concessionaire is meant to complete an agreement with NPA on the transfer of the facility. But, while this is being done, the Lagos Government has donated 30 hectares of land in Ijora to raise the capacity of the Lilypond Terminal.

    “These steps will be part of the solution of taking the trucks off the Apapa highways. When the rehabilitation work on Marine Bridge is completed in another four months, there will be improvement in journey time towards Apapa. We will also be having meeting with various stakeholders operating at the port, including the truck owners. The system needs a total overhaul. We need to agree and formalise the matrix of the trucks’ movement in and out of the port.”

    The Governor also decried the failure of the truck drivers to make use of over 30 holding bays around the port area, including the 320-capacity Tin Can Transit Park.

    He pointed out that the gridlock created by the indiscriminate parking of trailers had impacted negatively on the businesses environment on the axis, stressing that the menace had endangered the lives of people living on the corridor.

    Sanwo-Olu observed that the volume of maritime business being carried out in Apapa and Tin Can Island ports had outgrown their capacities. He said the State Government had started building another port in Lekki in collaboration with the NPA to serve as alternative and ease the pressure on the two ports in Apapa.

    The Governor admitted the Apapa needed a complete regeneration. The Government, he said, has responded the challenge with the re-construction work currently going on in the area.

    He said: “We need to set out our activities in a methodical order and see how we redevelop Apapa. There is a massive road construction that is going on in Apapa and the work is extensive. We are using concrete for roads that are being rebuilt. Liverpool and Creek roads have already been completed. By October, all the road network leading in and out of the port area would been opened up for public use.

    “My message to our citizens residing and working on this corridor is that, we have assessed the issues and we will be meeting with various operators and stakeholders. We will fashion out how we will all work collaboratively to bring about an efficient system that will deliver permanent solution and diffuse the gridlock. This, we hope, will bring life back to Apapa.”

    The Governor moved to inspect a failed section of Mile 2 Interchange along Lagos-Badagry Expressway, where the State Government cleared 70 trucks of waste materials from the road drainage.

    Sanwo-Olu promised that repair work would commence on Monday, but said the appealed to residents to desist from clogging the drainage with waste.

    At the Costain Bridge being constructed by the Federal Government, the Governor said there would re-adjustment of the turning radius to alleviate the difficulty being experienced by motorists in negotiating the descending point of the bridge.

    Sanwo-Olu also stopped at Iganmu intersection in Apapa-Iganmu area, where illegal settlements are springing up and encroaching the right-of-way of the Blue Line Rail project.

    The Governor gave the slum occupants one month to remove their shanties and vacate the space.

    He said: “The mess created under the Iganmu intersection has encroached the right-of-way of our rail project. In the next one month, we will be taking a decisive action to eject those creating illegal settlements under the bridge. We will give them notice of eviction and we will clean up the place. Once it is cleaned up, we will hand over the space to corporate organisations to restore the aesthetic of the environment.”

    The Governor also inspected the on-going repair work on the failed section of Eko Bridge. The repair is expected to complete by the end of September.

  • We’ve delivered on our mandate, tankers no longer on Lagos roads – Opeifa

    Mr Kayode Opeifa, the Executive Vice Chairman, Presidential Task Team on Apapa Restoration of Law and Order, says his team has delivered its mandate to bring sanity to Apapa axis of Lagos by ensuring easier access in and out of the area.

    Opeifa said this during a visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday while monitoring of the traffic situation in Apapa.

    According to him, tankers are no longer on the road paralysing economic activities before the task force was set up.

    When asked that tankers were again on the road, Opeifa said: “That is not correct and that is extremely alarming and a wrong impression of the fact.

    “The fact of the matter is that tankers are no longer on the road. The trucks are no longer on the road. What you see on the road, the day you don’t see them again, Nigeria is in recession.

    ” We need to understand what the road is meant for. The road is not meant for Keke Marwa and Okada. Apapa road is meant for all kinds of vehicles and mainly trucks – articulated vehicles.

    “The tankers came back visibly when the Ijegun Jetty was shut down by Lagos State Government and the DPR around the middle of October. They were all diverted back to Apapa to load. That was for a national emergency.”

    According to him, the current surge is only on one side of Apapa and the surge is early in the morning.

    He said that the team had directed tankers not to come out before 10:00 a.m.

    The committee vice chairman said the gridlock used to extend up to Maryland before the task was inaugurated, but now the situation had changed.

    He said the access road to the ports had also been made easier for tankers and trucks.

    He said that many of the tankers on roads were going mainly to Marine Bridge to load to the Northeast and other northern parts of Nigeria.

    Opeifa said the problems in Apapa would soon be solved with the movement of petroleum products by the pipeline up to Ilorin, Kwara State, massive road rehabilitation as well as extension of rail line to the port.

    He said that most of the areas in Apapa belonged to the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) in the past, but the privatisation had brought lot of encroachment.

    Opeifa described the notion that articulated vehicles should maintain a single lane into the port so as not to disturb other road users as a wrong management principle.

    He said that tankers had right the right to be on the road like other road users at the same time because of the economic and social purposes, but they should not obstruct other motorists.

    The committee vice chairman said that if the depots were working and there were no breakdowns, there would not be any reason for articulated vehicles to stay on roads.

    “From May 22 till date, I can tell you the tankers are off the roads, but when we have Christmas, what do you expect? Roads are congested, activities increase, fuel distribution increases and containers coming to the port increase.

    “The port is now congested to the tune of over 125 per cent because we have closed down the borders.

    “So, all the ships meant for Nigeria that were going to Benin have been diverted back to our port. Terminals must be more efficient,” he said

    Opeifa said that tankers queued because they could not get to their depots, while trucks queued behind tankers because they could not get to their terminals.

    According to him, trucks are coming to port en mass and nobody is controlling the way they come in.

    He said there was the need for appropriate regulators before the ports were concession.

    On trailer parks, Opeifa said that all depots had tanker parks as well as loading bays, but not all were performing optimally.

    He said that his team identified about 48 possible trailer parks to keep up to 3,500 trailers to only come to the port whenever they were called, but the attack on Lilypond was a setback.

    “The trucks need to do that in a way that they don’t affect others and we did that for three good months until that attack on Lilypond and the corruption-fight-back started.

    “NPA should take care of managing the trucks within Lilypond, Shippers Council should take care of its economic regulation, the trucking companies, customs and everybody should behave and obey the laid down regulations.

    “We have demonstrated this in June July, August, September up to the middle of October that we can have truck-free roads. No tankers spend one day on Lagos roads now, but hours. We have delivered on our mandate.

    “How did the trucks come back on the road? The reason is that Lilypond, the epic centre of the call-up system was attacked and it is yet to come back to action.”

    Opeifa denied allegations that extortion was fuelling disorderliness and lawlessness by truckers, but said that unhealthy competition to access the ports encouraged the development.

    He said that all corruption would end whenever the Federal Government’s long, medium and short term solutions to Apapa situation were effective.

    Opeifa said that in the restoration plan, the Lagos State Government was charged to repair some roads, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to work on pipelines, while the NPA would carry out some reforms like release of Lilypond and electronic call-up system. (NAN)

    He urged the media to join in the restoration of law and order to Apapa

  • Apapa 72 hours road closure: FG appeal for understanding on repairs

    The Federal Government on Friday appealed for cooperation of road users as the Mile 2 to Tin-Can Island section of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonsoki Expressway project undergoes 72 hours partial closure for rehabilitation.

    Mr Funso Adebiyi, Director, Federal Highways, South West, made the appeal during an inspection of the road in Lagos.

    Adebiyi said that heavy rainfall slowed down rehabilitation works on Apapa roads.

    He said it resulted in terrible road degeneration, causing accidents.

    The director said that palliative work had begun on the highway with the rains ending, and the Ministry of Works and Housing had secured commitment of truck drivers to leave the highway for repair works.

    He said that the federal government was committed to rehabilitation of roads across the nation, and the evidence was showing in massive construction after the rainy season.

    “We are here partly to facilitate this work and to continue the palliative work here,’’ he said.

    Adebiyi said that stakeholders, at a meeting on Thursday, reached an agreement to work in synergy toward freeing the highway for speedy rehabilitation of bad portions.

    The director said that a 72-hour partial closure would begin, to ensure effective rehabilitation work on terrible portions causing hardship on the road.

    “Because of the intensity of the palliative work we want to do, we agreed that for about 72 hours, we will restrict vehicles to this area.

    “And because we are sensitive to the plight of road users, we will allow petrol tankers to come and load because if they do not come to lift product for 72 hours, it will affect the general public,” he said.

    He listed vehicles that can use the highway within the closure period to include tankers going to lift products, vehicles carrying construction materials to site and cars.

    Adebiyi explained that rapid strengthening cement was being used to ensure speedy construction and rehabilitation of the highway to ensure durability.

    He said that Hitech Construction Company Ltd, contractor handling the project on behalf of the Dangote Group, had been directed to increase signage on the highway to reduce accidents.

    The director said that the contractor was going to introduce night construction and would not close site during the festive seasons to ensure speedy completion of the project.

    He said that more traffic control officers would be deployed to site to reduce hardship to road users and avert gridlock.

    Explaining modalities for the closure, Mr Kayode Opeifa, Vice Chairman, Presidential Task Team on Apapa Restoration of Law and Order, said that the law would be enforced.

    Opeifa, who is also Lagos State Head of Monitoring and Enforcement Coordination Committee of Environmental and Security offences, said that compliance would be strictly enforced.

    “It will be a 72 hours closure except for tankers lifting petroleum products. All truck owners are advised to take their trucks away, if we pick it, we will give them heavy fine.

    “The closure is from Mile 2 to Tin Can for 72 hours with effect from today at midnight,’’ he said.

    Representatives of the various truck unions present at the inspection told journalists that the would comply with the directive.

  • LASG intercepts five containers of rotten fish in Apapa

    Two safety agencies of Lagos State Government on Monday discovered five containers laden with rotten fish and other edibles in Apapa area of the state.

    The shocking discovery was made during a site inspection of the containers following reports of air pollution and release of toxic gas into the environment at one of the off duck terminals in Apapa.

    The inspection was conducted jointly by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

    “The joint-team discovered edibles, including fish, which had become rotten due to faulty refrigerators.

    “The LASEMA team observed the absence of emergency action as well as preparedness plan and appropriate safety measures in place to curtail such incidence and guard against reccurence.

    “A total number of 25 containers was located and five containers laden with edibles have faulty refrigerators.

    “The edibles have therefore defrosted and have become rotten, causing severe health hazard to the environment,” Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA Director General, told NAN on Monday.

    The LASEMA boss said that the rotten edibles inside the containers left huge impact on four of the affected 13 houses located on the street at Trinity Close, Apapa.

  • Nigeria loses N6 trillion to Apapa gridlock – OPS

    Nigeria loses N6 trillion to Apapa gridlock – OPS

    The Organised Private Sector (OPS) said Nigeria had lost about N6 trillion across the different sectors due to the Apapa gridlock and called for urgent infrastructure development at the Lagos ports.
    The OPS, under the aegis of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), gave this monstrous figure of losses at its 62nd Annual General Meeting in Lagos.
    It called for an urgent policy reform for businesses to operate optimally.
    Mr Mauricio Alarcon, the Second Vice President of NECA, said that operational hiccups being experienced at the port had remained even after one year of the Presidential Executive Order to promote transparency and efficiency on operation.
    ”Survey by the OPS shows that Nigeria lost about N3.06 trillion on non-oil export and about N2.5 trillion earnings annually across the different sectors due to the Apapa gridlock,” he said.
    Alarcon said that the Federal Government should look at reforms that would significantly impact on the economy now that the elections were over.
    ”There is the need to fast-track infrastructural development at the Lagos Port, diversification programme, a market-driven foreign exchange management, sustain and significant reduction in the cost of governance.
    Government should also fast-track the passage of Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, a market driven electricity supply and billing system.”
    Alarcon said the government should reform the oil and gas sector by removing subsidy on the sale of petrol, which he said, gulped about one trillion naira annually.
    He said that the government must urgently tackle insecurity that had already increased unemployment and poverty in the country.
    ‘”Unemployment surged from 9.0 per cent in 2015 to 23.1 per cent in third quarter of 2018, while inflation remains high in spite of tight monetary policy conditions.
    “There is also spread of poverty. The economy need to recover,” he said.
    To support business, Alarcon called on the government to ensure the patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods at all levels through standardisation and certification.
    He called for friendly regulatory regime businesses rather than crippling them and enforcement of harmonised taxes and levies by the Joint Tax Board.
    Mr Uche Ekwe, the Chairman, International Relations Unit of the NLC, in a good will message, said that there was the need for labour and NECA to collaborate to tackle economic challenges.
    Ekwe, who represented NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said that it was critical to create wealth for the nation, but noted that wealth creation might not necessarily reduce poverty because of increase in population.
    Mr Quadri Olaleye, TUC President, said that the government must create means of employment to tackle poverty, insecurity and other challenges bedevilling the nation.

  • Truck Accident: NPA clears right of way at Tin Can Island Port

    Truck Accident: NPA clears right of way at Tin Can Island Port

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it had removed a container and an articulated vehicle involved in an accident at the First Gate of Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos.

     

    It said in a statement by its General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr Adams Jatto, in Lagos on Sunday that it hurried to clear the scene to provide access to port users and guarantee ease of doing business.

     

    It said that three imported cars were also affected in the incident which occurred on Saturday, adding, however, that no casualty was recorded.

     

    “Our investigation showed that the accident happened when the truck driver was trying to manouvre his way and the container it was conveying rolled off and crashed on the already parked vehicles.

     

    “While this incident is regrettable, the NPA as a responsible organisation has removed the container to provide access to port users.

     

    “NPA assures her various customers and stakeholders of her continued responsibilities in ensuring that all necessary measures are taken in providing a secured and friendly environment for customer satisfaction and efficient service delivery,” Jatto said.

     

    It said that it regretted any inconvenience the accident may have caused the public, especially the port community and assures them of prompt response to issues “when they occur”.

  • Presidency gives task force two more weeks to clear Apapa gridlock

    Presidency gives task force two more weeks to clear Apapa gridlock

    The Federal Government has extended by two weeks, the time given to the Presidential Taskforce on the Apapa Traffic Gridlock to resolve the matter following a request for extension by members of the taskforce and other stakeholders.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, approved the extension at a meeting of the Presidential Taskforce with stakeholders held at the Presidential Villa, earlier in the week.

    The taskforce, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, commenced its assignment on May 24 and had up to June 7 to complete the assignment.

    He said that the panel is now expected to present a formal report at the end of its extended mandate on June 24.

    He said: “The presidential directive was issued for the clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order to Apapa and its environs within 2 weeks.“The directive followed an emergency meeting convened by President Muhammadu Buhari and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on the 25th of April, 2019.

    “While the Vice President chairs the task force, its daily operations are supervised by an Executive Vice Chairman, Comrade Kayode Opeifa.”

    Membership of the team is drawn from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Shippers Council.

    Other members include a special unit of the Nigeria Police Force led by a Commissioner of Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), representatives of the Truck Transport Union, the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and other relevant MDAs.

    Speaking on steps to be taken to find lasting solutions to the problem, Prof. Osinbajo added that “it will take both medium and long term solutions to ultimately enable us present to the users an efficient port environment for the economy and businesses to thrive.”

    He warned that “we will not allow any interests to undermine our nation’s economy”.

    The Vice President directed the NPA and other stakeholders to expedite action on the opening of additional truck parks and parking bays around Lagos as well as the commencement of the electronic call-up system at the Port.

    In his presentation at the meeting, Opeifa, the Executive Vice Chairman of the taskforce, summarised the progress made so far by the team.

    He said despite challenges experienced in the course of the assignment, it was able to record a significant compliance level of the presidential directive on the clearance of the Apapa gridlock.

    According to him, efforts are ongoing to open new parking bays for trucks around the port area and in other parts of Lagos, preparatory to the commencement of the electronic call-up system at the port– one of the measures proposed to ameliorate the hardship at the port area.

     

  • Senate gives final ultimatum on ending Apapa gridlock

    Senate gives final ultimatum on ending Apapa gridlock

    Towards finding lasting solution to gridlock in Apapa, the Senate Committee on Works on Friday advocated co-operation of various government agencies to make port operations easier.

    The committee during an emergency meeting with stakeholders in Lagos as part of its oversight functions condemned extortion of truck drivers and asked law enforcement and traffic regulatory agencies to investigate and punish erring officers.

    It called for a multi sector approach between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and Nigerian Maritime Admistration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to give waivers to encourage use of other Eastern ports to decongest Apapa.

    The committee appealed to truck driver unions to come together and increase areas where they could park their trucks while calling on NPA to speed up processes aimed at restoring order.

    The committee summoned the Managing Director of the APM Terminal to appear before the National Assembly on Wednesday to resolve various concerns raised by stakeholders against the firm perceived to be part of the problem.

    The committee directed that the Apapa Truck Park under construction be completed and handed over to NPA for use latest May 2 or May 3 which is Thursday or Friday next week.

    Sen. Kabiru Gaya, Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, who led the delegation, said that in spite of various government interventions, “it is a shame to all of us in Nigeria that this gridlock should continue.”

    The other lawmakers in the team which included Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Sen. Clifford Ordia and Sen. Barnabas Gemade, took turns to interact with various stakeholders on proffering final solutions to the Apapa gridlock.

    After extensive deliberations, Gaya ruled that all forms of corruption causing the problems be nipped in the bud as the Buhari administration had zero tolerance for corrupt practices.

    “We’ll set up a small committee within the next four days consisting of security agencies, customs, clearing agents and so on to give us a report within three days so that we can use that report and also implement that report.

    “Because I know that the President, Vice President and everybody is concerned about how best we can get out of this national embarrassment,” he said.

    He added that the Federal government was constructing and maintaining roads and addressing the problems of overstretched infrastructure and called for the support of the Lagos State Government in patching pot holes.

    “The Federal Government is trying to get more temporary parking spaces for trailers (articulated vehicles), therefore, the Tincan trailer park is being completed and we have ordered them to commission that park within the next one week,” he said.

    He stressed the need for LASTMA to join hands with other members of the taskforce to restore order in Apapa.

    The committee chairman assured that within two weeks the committee was going to take action if its orders were not enforced to restore sanity in Apapa.

    Earlier, Mr Funsho Adebiyi, Director, Highways, South West, lamented indiscriminate parking of trucks on the bridges in Lagos which he said were not designed for static loads.

    Adebiyi said that the bridges were endangered while lamenting other forms of abuses of bridges which included building under them and other activities that had caused fire that damaged some bridges.

    He said that there was need for attitudinal change among Nigerians toward protection of the nation’s road infrastructure.

    Stakeholders at the event included the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, Mr Hyginus Omeje, General Manager, LASTMA, Mr Wale Musa, the NPA General Manager, Security, Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu, truck drivers unions, truck owners unions, shipping companies and terminal operators.

  • FG to deliver Apapa Truck Park April

    FG to deliver Apapa Truck Park April

    The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, on Friday said that the Apapa trailer park project in the state would be completed before the end of April.

    Kuti told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the shoreline protection aspect of the project was 25 per cent completed, adding that the entire project had achieved 94 per cent completion.

    “We expect that the work will be completed this April and we should be handing the trailer park over to the NPA – Nigerian Port Authority – by end of this month.

    “The materials we were waiting for have arrived and being cleared in the port as we speak.

    “We have already completed 25 per cent of the shoreline protection which has been the major aspect holding us. The entire project is 94 per cent completed,” he told NAN.

    Kuti said that facilities, including toilets and bathrooms, police post, ticketing section and boreholes to make the park comfortable for use, had been completed.

    On the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, he debunked media reports about variations in the project’s cost and delivery time.

    He said that additional works such as foot bridges, under passes, toll plazas and walkways were added to the project due to springing up of settlements on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor.

    Kuti told NAN that there were no variations in the cost of the project but the additional works increased its cost.

    He said that the additional works, costing about N64 billion, made the contract sum to increase to about N134 billion.

    He said that the Federal Executive Council extended the project’s completion period by four years – which would be 2021/2022 – because of the additional work.

    “`This additional works cost money and must be added to the cost of the job,” he said.

    He said that the contractors for the project were on site and that the work was progressing.

    He appealed to motorists on the road and other construction zones to be patient and obey all road signs and traffic rules.

    “Right now, we are working around the MFM and RCCG area – that is Kilometers 15 and 26, we do hope that work will be completed soon on those sections.

    “We want to appeal to people to be patient as they use the road, bearing in mind that it is a construction zone; they should be very careful when they drive.

    “There are traffic officers that control the traffic; motorists should obey them as well as traffic rules and regulations; they require a lot of patience,” he said.

    According to him, there are no alternative routes to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at the moment because the Ikorodu-Sagamu is also under construction.

  • Apapa Customs Command generated N61bn revenue in 2 months – Official

    The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N61 billion revenue between January and February.

    Its outgoing Comptroller, Bashir Abubakar, made this known in Lagos on Monday during the handover ceremony to the new Comptroller of the command, Mohammed Abba-Kura.

    Abubakar said that the feat was achieved by the drive of the officers at enforcing compliance in the operations.

    “The command between January 1st to March 14th seized 24 containers of tomato paste and vegetable oil with duty paid value of N200, 867, 000.

    “The export seat in the command made 2, 505, 076 US dollars and N765. 3 million on Free Onboard (FOB),” he said.

    Abubakar, who described the incoming Comptroller as a goal better, said that with Abba-Kura, the good target of the command would be maintained.

    He urged officers of the command to extend goodwill and cooperation to the new comptroller, while thanking them for a warm relationship during his stay in the command.