Major stakeholders and other operators rose from a roundtable on Tuesday, with the determination do more to sanitise operations at the ports and all its access roads.
The stakeholders meeting was was held at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, was called by the Nigerian Shippers Council and the Presidential Task Team (PTT) on the restoration of law and order on the Apapa port access roads headed by Comrade Kayode Opeifa.
Briefing the stakeholders, among who were the Nigeria Ports Authority and the Nigerian Shippers Council, (who are the major stakeholders); Terminal operators, shippers, tanker and truck owners, LASTMA, freight forwarders and other maritime related services, Opeifa said the task team has recorded a huge success since it began operation at Apapa on May 22, last year.
according to him, though there may still be occasional instances of traffic snarl, the narratives around Apapa has changed from a total lock down, to occasional traffic challenges which are usually traceable to incidences such as accidents and breakdowns.
According to him, an average of 30 trucks breaks down weekly, with the Task Team paying heavily to tow off the road.
He urged terminal operators to buy tow trucks as government pays heavily to hire tow trucks to evacuate broke. Down trucks daily.
Atill on incidences and breakdowns, Opeifa demanded a massive clampdown on all non Road worthy trucks by the Federal Road Safety Corps to eradicate the frequent incidences of breakdowns or accidents which often leaves traffic snarl.
“What we found out is that most trucks plying Apapa are unserviceable and ought to be pulled out. We are calling on the FRSC to please revisit the issue of the road worthiness of some of these trucks in order to put event stop to the incessant accidents by these containerized trucks, ” Opeifa said.
He called for more synergy of all ministries, departments and agencies working in the maritime sector in order to address the issue of conflict of roles that impedes the smooth operations of the ports activities, even as he called for more transparency in the manual call up systems in order to ensure that no trucks unnecessarily finds itself on the road without being called to approach Apapa to pick its cargo.
Opeifa also observed the proliferation of illegal terminals and parks by residents with properties abutting waterfront saying many of these illegal operators now allow trucks in barges into Apapa, thereby distorting the laid down system which only permits trucks to be called in from the Lillypond Terminal operated by the NPA or the trucks terminal at Tincan Island.
The Apapa Port Manager Mrs Funmilayo Olotu while speaking said the NPA is already addressing the worrisome trend adding that the agency did not approve any jetty by any private operator.
She said the NPA is willing and ready to work with all parties to put an end to the menace that has remained a blot to the image of the country.
Giving a media perspective to the issue, the publisher of Business Day Mr Frank Aigbogun said time has come and “all Nigerians must resolve to put an end to the Apapa gridlock which has become a national shame.”
He said he has had to abandon his house, while for several times he stays away from his office because of the traffic situation which has remained intractable.
He said he has lost a handful of quality hands who had resigned citing the traffic scenario in Apapa. National President of the Association of Maritime Trucks Owners chief Segun Ogungbemi said time has come.for all stakeholders to come.together to put a stop to the Apapa menace