Gridlock: Amaechi Sets Up Fresh Taskforce To Evacuate Trucks From Apapa, Tin Can Island Ports

…MWUN, NPA, Shippers Council, 200 Security Officials Drafted in Steering Committee

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Few days after the ministry announced the dissolution of the Presidential Task Team on Law and Order in Apapa, Minister of Transportation, Mr . Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has set up a fresh committee that would rid the ports of unwanted trucks and put a stop to illegal parking along port corridors.

Already, the Minister has set up a steering committee in readiness for the electronic call-up system for trucks, a project of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) which seeks to ensure that unwanted trucks do not visit the port.

The Minister co-opted the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to be part of the committee, made up of about 200 security officers and stakeholders.

He however said the Steering Committee would be headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Magdalene Ajani, to seat monthly until the challenges are overcome.

Other members of the committee would be from the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Shippers Council, Road Safety and Lagos State government.

Amaechi directed the committee to write to the Inspector General of Police for more Officers for the assignment.

“The issue of traffic on these routes is because in Nigeria we don’t discipline people. People do whatever they like even when it’s wrong because there is no consequence for our actions. We need security officers to enforce compliance on truck blocking the road.

“100 men at Tin Can and Apapa to be stationed their everyday because Nigerians don’t obey until there are consequences for actions. NPA, Shippers Council must have a level of funding to resolve this challenges.

“We need to talk to Shippers and Traders especially those around Warri, to see how they can be using Warri port, so that Lagos Ports will be decongested, we can get security to follow the cargoes to that area, so that traders from Aba, Onitsha that are ready to use that Port can go there.”

Speaking, the Deputy Secretary General of MWUN, Abudu Eroje, said that the union had wanted to go on strike because of the hardship workers faced everyday trying to go to work because of the gridlock.

He said that the union is now part of the Implementation Committee which took a decision that letters will be sent out to all relevant stakeholders giving an ultimatum when all trucks must leave the road back to their various parks.

Eroje said that a Manual call-up system would commence before the electronic system to enable all access road to Tin Can by Mile 2 be cleared.

He said that before the date of ultimatum expires, all truck owners, relevant stakeholders would be sensitized before enforcement.