…Slam Shipping companies, terminal operators for roles in Apapa Gridlock
Stakeholders in the maritime sector have pointed finger at the shipping companies and terminal operators as the major cause of the perennial Apapa gridlock.
Speaking at the maritime summit on Apapa gridlock, held in Lagos last week, the stakeholders pointed out that the inability of the shipping firms to provide holding bays for their empty containers is the remote cause of the traffic gridlock in and around Apapa, saying unavailability of holding bay has forced trucks carrying empty container to park on the road.
The summit which organised by The Powerful Pen Newspaper, a Publication of Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) with the aim of providing workable and lasting solution to the challenges.
The summit with theme: “Apapa Perennial Traffic Gridlock: Has it Defied All Solutions?” availled many stakeholders in the industry to air their views and also suggest workable and realistic solutions to the problem.
According to the Chairman/CEO of Bonntex Nigeria Limited, Chief Boniface Okoye, it is fraudulent for the companies to have claimed that they have holding bay. “Shipping companies, where are your holding bays? They are in the computer. All their holding bays are only seen in the computers and not on ground”, Okoye said.
The stakeholders at event fault the hurried process of the port reform (concession) by the federal government without Environmental Impact Assessment and the alienation of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in the process leading to the concession.
According to the communiqué issued shortly after the event and signed by MAJAN President, Ray Ugochukwu; Editor ,The Powerful Pen, Sylvanus Ekpo and The powerful Pen Editorial Secretary, Jerry Aguigbo; the summit lamented that the collapse of petroleum refineries and vandalism of distribution pipelines and the subsequent establishment of oil depots in Ibafo axis of Tincan Island Port has increased the volume of vehicular activities in and around the Lagos ports
Among other anomalies, the summit fault Policy summersaults by the government, notably the revocation of the land already allotted to truck owners as a park by the Lagos State Government; Poor management of trucks and drivers by owners, which occasioned bad driving habits of the drivers; bad state and slow reconstruction of port access roads by the contractors as well as lack of space for expansion of port infrastructure in view of a rise in the volume of cargo throughput.
The summit therefore urged the federal government to re-evaluate and re-jig the port reform, taking into account the role of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the Economic Regulator.
The summit also charged the Terminal Operators (concessionaires) to, as matter of urgency, improve on their cargo handling equipment and delivery systems to enhance quick turnaround of vessels and trucks picking cargo.
The summit recommend that “Ports must be connected with the rail system; feeder vessels should be made to convey containers out of the ports although barges can still be used. This is to create healthy competition to crash prices and reduce pressure on port access roads. Government must revamp refineries and pipelines for effective distribution of wet cargo, mostly petroleum products to stem solely reliance on the Lagos ports.
“NPA must revoke the licenses given to oil depot owners at Ibafo area in Apapa and possibly relocate the oil depots away from port environs. Time has come for the government to reclaim lands around the ports for expansion of port infrastructure including roads and dedicate road lanes for trucks and tankers. NPA’s Call-up is commended but needed to be improved upon for the purpose of monitoring and enforcement with the installation of CCTV in a control room where traffic controllers are stationed for control as against being on the road for control.Truck owners are implored to provide roadworthy trucks and provide standards to checkmate excesses and bad habits of their drivers to stop indiscriminate parking”, the summit recommended.
Meanwhile, those who attended summit have showered encomium on MAJAN for its consistent bold step in proffering solutions to the Apapa gridlocks over the years.
the summit was attended by delegates from the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Nigeria Customs Service, Wharf Landing Collecting Fees Authority, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, National Council of Managing Directors Licensed Customs Agents, Sikkens Paints, Sino Trucks, businessmen, industrialists and individuals.
