Haulage Cost Hits N900k in Apapa, As Multiple Checkpoints, Corruption Affects Cargo Delivery

—ETO Call-up, Truckers Associations, Security Agencies Fingered

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The cost of clearing a 40foot container from Apapa Port has increased to N900,000 while a 20foot container is being transported for N400,000, even as stakeholders have blamed corruption, multiple checkpoints by government agencies, as well as activities of truck owners associations as responsible for the anomaly.

Investigations by DAILY TREND revealed that while transporting a 40foot container from Apapa Port cost N900,000, transporting same container from Tin Can Island Port costs only N350,000, while from Lekki Port is N550,000.

Speaking with our correspondent, a clearing agent, Mr Frank Aliakor confirmed that transporting containers from Apapa Port to Alaba International market and Aspanda market costs not less than N880,000 while a 20foot container is transported for N400,000.

The stakeholder also blamed the irregularities in the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Eto Call-up system as responsible for the high cost of haulage.
According to him, it takes days for trucks to access the port, even when trucks are coming into the port, security agencies have formed various checkpoints at various locations including, Creek Road, Eleganza, Ijora axis of Apapa Port access.

Apart from these, the truck associations have formed collection points where they extort truckers before entering into the port.

“The challenge is because of ETO Call-up, and the movement of trucks discharging cargoes in and out of Apapa.

“The NPA, the Police are all having their task forces on the road and not allowing trucks to gain access into the port on time, the truckers have to recoup their money back from importers, and that is why they increased the haulage fares” he said

According to Mr Aliakor, stakeholders have called for dismantling of the task forces, adding that if these points of corruption and checkpoints are dismantled, it would bring down the cost of cargo transportation

“The truckers are inputing what they are charged by these agencies and unions on the port access road. If the toad is free they won’t charge much. From Ijora to Apapa and Apapa to Mile 2, Creek Road, and Eleganza, you see agencies of government there collecting money from truckers ” he said
Also speaking, another clearing agent, Kehinde Odumuyiwa argued that cargoes leaving Apapa and Tin Can Port are going to the same market, and it has become increasingly difficult for importers from Apapa to compete.

“All the goods go to the same market and we have competitors. The cost of haulage, especially in Apapa is high, the pains is just too much and killing.

“A cargo is not supposed to be more than N380,000, they are charging us N900,000 to Lagos from Apapa. Even at that, it takes one week for the truck to access the port. Because of this, we are having challenges with our clients.

“Apart from these, the cost of clearing and customs alerts is cumbersome, when your cargo is going on the road, the customs FOU would hold your cargo, it is now compulsory that before doing any job, you have to do booking with customs FOU, if you fail to do that, they would seize your cargo and take it to their Ikeja office, that container can be there for two months. To save yourself the stress, you just give them what they want.

“But any job coming from Lekki Port, there is nothing like booking .

“Haulage from Lekki Port is cheaper than Apapa Port, if Haulage cost from Apapa Port is N900,000, Lekki Port is N550,000.
At Grimaldi terminal in Mile 2, we load 40foot container for N400,000 because there is no NARTO there, same as Kirikiri terminal. We load cargo for N380,000 at Tin Can Port. But in Apapa, the cost is higher.

“Because of this, most of the Importers are diverting to Cotonou, the new crop of customs officers in the system now are even worse, unlike the old ones that are highly experienced. The new younger officers can ask you to bring N10million as settlement, and all you have is N10,000, where are you going to start from?

“The hauliers are the ones making things difficult for us” he lamented