Buhari’s Port Visit: NPA to Capitalise on Gains of Traffic Sanity in Apapa
By DAPO OLAWUNI
Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Apapa port on Thursday 10th of June 2021 and the sudden disappearance of traffic gridlock along the port corridor, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has expressed readiness to build on these brief moment of sanity and ensure that its electronic call-up system, ETO succeeds.
Stakeholder at the port expressed shock at the level of traffic sanity in Apapa due to the President’s visit, saying that, definitely Apapa port can experience sanity again, but for corruption and lack of political will of implementing agencies.
In a message to port stakeholders, NPA has insisted that all trucks seeking access into the port must emanate from truck parks that have been approved by NPA and the Lagos State Government.
The authority warned that trucks that are not on the manifest but hanging around port shall be impounded.
“As a follow up to the visit of Mr. President and in order to build on the gains, trucks approaching the ports should please take note of the following:-
“All trucks shall emanate from truck parks approved by NPA/LASG.
“All truck parks shall use manifest approved by TTP. This is in addition to the eto ticket. Vehicles not verified from such truck parks and on the manifest shall not be allowed into the ports.
“Manifest shall be released through approved avenues by TTP not latter than 10 pm of a previous day in order to be acceptable at the port. For example manifest of trucks to be received at Apapa tomorrow 11/06/2021 shall be released to Apapa port at 10 PM today 10/06/2021
“The LASG shall impound all trucks not on the manifest but hanging around port locations at anytime without additional notice.
“The responsibility for ensuring all trucks reflected in the manifest physically emerged from the truck parks shall be that of the truck parks and TTP. At the port end, TTP would ensure only trucks on the manifest gain entry into the ports while NPA provides security.
“The enforcement backbone for this operation as always is provided by LASG” it says
Recall that during Buhari’s visit, the two ports; Apapa Premier Port and Tin Can Island Port were are deserted as security operatives restrict movement and access to the port environment, thereby grounding economic activities at the ports.
The ports were devoid of the usual presence of long truck queues and security agencies and task forces, Customs FOU checkpoints and other extortion points.
