By Kenneth Jukpor
As part of efforts to curb the haphazard movement of trucks along the port access roads in Lagos, the Federal Government has decided to refloat a manual truck call-up system that would see only trucks with specific business at the ports allowed to ply the port access roads.
The initiative which is championed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in collaboration with terminal operators and truckers is expected to take off this week.
Although the delays associated with the manual truck call up system portends a threat to the system, operators have expressed optimism that the process if well managed, could alleviate the sufferings of truck drivers who spend several days on the port access roads.
Speaking with MMS Plus on this initiative, the Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) Chief Remi Ogungbemi said the new system could usher-in a more conducive environment for truckers to operate.
“What NPA is introducing is an initiative that would decongest the roads. If well managed the port access roads would be accessible as trucks would pick call-ups from NPA offices at the ports with the necessary documents” he said.
Although the absence of truck parks has been highlighted as a major problem, Chief Ogungbemi research revealed that almost 80% of the trucks parked along the port access roads already have truck parks but they cluster the ports in a bid to get jobs.
However, the trucking boss lamented that some terminal operators and shipping companies were benefitting from the traffic gridlock, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised to see some resistance to the new development by these companies or their agents.
In a related development, an Anti-Corrupt Committee has also been instituted to curb the extortion of truckers along the port access roads.
The committee comprises truckers, NPA officials and other security operatives at the ports with the responsibility of eliminating the bane of extortion on truckers.
“It is truck owners and drivers who disburse monies to these overzealous security operatives out of frustration or just to save time but this has to stop and that was what gave birth to the committee which is expected to commence operations next week” the AMATO boss added.
