By James Shodiya
In continuation of its mandate of acting as a watchdog to the society, foremost maritime beat association, the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) will hold a breakfast meeting to beam the searchlight on the Challenges and proffering solutions to the Eto call-up system for trucks operating in the maritime sector.
The epoch-making event which will take place at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa on Thursday, March 7, 2024 will bring together various stakeholders and key operators in the industry under one roof to proffer solutions to a menace that has hindered effective transportations of cargoes, containers and products from the nations seaports.
Speaking on the forthcoming event, Mr Godfrey Bivbere, the President of the association in a press release lamented that despite the good intentions of the eto, e-call up system, it has faced severe criticism, with some operators alleging that it has exacerbated the traffic crisis and facilitated corruption and extortion.
Continuing, Bivbere lamented that critical stakeholders have raised concerns that the Eto platform had deviated from its original purpose and turned into a source of revenue generation and that the port environment has returned to the pre-Hadiza Bala-Usman era.
To this effect, he disclosed that the association focused on playing it’s constitutional role of being a watchdog and an agenda-setting body for the government and other stakeholders effectively; will organize a Breakfast meeting to address these concerns.
“Topical issues that will be discussed at the meeting include the efforts that the government through agencies like the Nigerian Ports Authority, has taken to combat these challenges, as well as the role that can be played by stakeholders.
Additionally, the introduction of e-tag trucks will also be discussed as one of the viable solutions” he disclosed.
Stakeholders expected at the meeting include the Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); The Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); Shipping Companies and Terminal Operators.
Others are the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Truck Transit Parks, PSTT, respective truckers’ associations like Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC), Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Nexus Association of Maritime Transport Operators, NAMTOP, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), among others.
