Demystifing Apapa Gridlock: A Road To An End

By Oyeniyi Iwakun

As part of efforts towards finding solutions to the myriads of problems facing the nation’s ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), held its regular quarterly meeting in Lagos last week. This time around, it is for the second quarter of 2018 among series of others held in the past. Although, the Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman, was unavoidably absent, she was ably represented by Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr. Sekonte Davies.

The meeting which started at about 11:30am had in attendance various industry stakeholders who would not waste any opportunity at the meeting to ventilate their grievances. They craved the indulgence of the management to pressing issues, made useful suggestions and called on the necessary quarters to rise up to responsibilities when the need arises.

Notable among other important discussions was the need to remove the bottlenecks at the Apapa axis especially the ones created by administrative inefficiencies, technical failures, and corrupt activities.

While giving the opening remark, the NPA boss intimated the audience about the modus operandi of the meeting as he recapped some major contents of previous discussions and steps taken by NPA to address them as resolved at the previous meetings.

Dr. Davies explained that the NPA management was committed to ensuring a seamless movement of cargoes in and out of the port while identifying some approaches such as the introduction of the Joint Task Force which comprises NPA and other security agencies in the country to manage some salient issues as they arise including the basic need to ensure that the problem of traffic congestion is resolved.

He noted that there have been several moves to ensure that holding bays for empty containers and stuffing of goods are put in place by shipping companies and terminal operators even as he explained that some shipping companies are having challenges in this regard.

In his statement, he revealed that part of the strategies for decongesting the port was the introduction of badges to move containers even as he emphasized on the synergy geared towards ensuring that the railway is utilized as alternative means of moving cargoes in and out of the ports.

Dr. Davies availed the audience with progress recorded in ensuring that the ports environment and the entire Apapa axis is undergoing clean up for proper  hygiene and healthy environment.

On security, he notified the audience of intensified efforts by NPA management to improving the security surveillance at the ports generally citing the incessant attacks, robbery and theft at the ports most especially the recent incident at the ENL terminal which the NPA boss blamed on suspected connivance by an insider who dishes out information and aided the robbery.

Contributing to the debate, the National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers & Exporters Coalition, and Chairman International Freight Forwarders Association, Chief (Dr.) Chukwu Osita called NPA’s attention to the environmental hazard caused by the gridlock between Dangote Group of Company and Flour Mills in Apapa.

He said; “We have written to the concerned ministries and there has been no response. We are just telling you to help us convey this message to the necessary agencies because very soon we are going to approach the Federal High Court to challenge them on the hazards they have caused on the residents and other innocent Nigerians.”

Chief Osita frowned at the uncontrolled rate at which Nigerians are subjected to hardships through illegal tariffs at the ports on daily basis citing an example of the introduction of Port Access Card by the PTML terminal which he described as a breach of fundamental human right of the people. In his opinion, if the port pass produced by NPA doesn’t exceed N1000, there was need to question the rationale behind the “anti-people’s” idea of Access Card introduced by PTML.

“I still believe we are Nigerians and nobody, no matter how highly placed must stop us from our operational duties as regards the right to protect oneself or one’s axis; that is on access card. Voices have been raised on how Nigerians are being billed illegally and nobody is talking about it. I want you to look into this matter seriously.” He said

The Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi opined that the most probable solution to the Apapa gridlock is via adoption of the electronic call up system as obtainable in advanced nations of the world even as he decried the rate at which drivers die to excessive stress and turbulent health challenges while on queue for so many weeks.

He said; “The environment can no longer tolerate the activities we are giving to the environment. I will appeal to you sir, let’s see what we can do to use modern technologies to address the challenges that have even become more deadly than Ebola Virus Disease. In the fifties, we traveled  abroad by the sea but now it is by air. So let us see how we can use technology to address these problems. I want to appreciate what NPA has been doing, but the greatest development in the world is the room for change in strategies.”

On his part, the Chairman, Revenue, Hon.  Chioma Ntiaba who represented the Apapa Local Government Chairman; advocated for the redesign of strategies in the implementation of the Operation Cleanup Apapa exercise which she said have been infringing on the economic activities of the environment.

While announcing the support of the local government authorities for the laudable intervention of NPA to sanitize the Apapa environment, Hon Chioma expressed dissatisfaction over the rate at which the revenues accruable to the local council has been affected by the exercise, noting that people have been trooping to the local government council secretariat to complain about how those enforcing the policies have taken to the streets and evicted traders from their abodes.

The revenue supervisor also believed that the Clean Up exercise should be restricted to the ports not on the streets in Apapa to avoid unnecessary encroachment on the local government’s income.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Technical Committee for Ibru Committee of Directors Petroleum Depots of Ibafo-Apapa, Mr. Sabitu Ajadi solicited NPA’s and other stakeholder’s support towards the ongoing palliatives being constructed by the group from Sunrise to Coconut axis which he said would cost about N225million. He therefore explained that the road is a great alternative that will ease movement and also complement the Tin-Can Island –Mile 2 road when constructed.

Analyzing the challenges of the gridlock and efforts made to resolve it so far, the Commander, NNS Breecroft, Commodore Okon Eyo, acknowledged the concerns raised on the security threat posed by the indiscriminate parking of trucks on the bridges while also calling the attention of the stakeholders to the possibilities of the bridges collapsing if proper measures are not taken to address the challenges.

Commodore, Eyo posited that the traffic is always “multi component” in that the trucks and tankers are usually going to different destinations.  Explaining the background of the call-up cards introduced by the Navy, the naval boss said series of meetings were held with NPA and other stakeholders where a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was drawn at the end of the day.

Recalling that there was an agreement for all empty containers to be taken to the holding bays, Commodore Eyo, expressed shock at the non-compliance and enforcement of the above even after six years even as he referred to a letter written by NPA in 2012, directing shipping companies and terminal operators to adhere to the order of keeping empty containers at holding bays.

Observing that some economic saboteurs are behind the gridlock because whenever roads are free for easy movement in and out of the ports, their businesses are destroyed, the naval boss urged NPA to make categorical statement on the holding bays issue.

On his part, the Apapa Chapter’s chairman of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Segun Oduntan alleged that most shipping companies have no holding bays and the addresses given when his organization requested for such, were fake. He however concluded that shipping companies with holding bays are less than 10% even as he noted that senior security and enforcement agencies were supposed to be at the meeting not the junior ones.

Reacting to the issues raised, the NPA Managing Director explained that efforts were on ground to commence the Truck Call-up system but the absence of holding bays and truck terminals where trucks could wait had been hindering the process. He therefore urged people with the wherewithal to invest in the truck parks.

He posited that the Apapa cleanup exercise was to assist the Apapa community and the business of the Local Government can never supersede the federal government, hence his advise that traders be organized so that people can patronize them, better even as he noted that other stakeholders are appreciating NPA’s efforts.