Truck
operators on Friday blamed gridlocks in Apapa on lack of transit parks and
ineffective regulation by relevant authorities for the operation of trucks at
Lagos ports.
operators on Friday blamed gridlocks in Apapa on lack of transit parks and
ineffective regulation by relevant authorities for the operation of trucks at
Lagos ports.
Chief Remi Ogungbemi, President, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO),
said this in an interview in Lagos.
“The trucks
have no place to park before entering the port and no mechanism for regulation.
“There is need for a mechanism that will regulate the movement of these trucks
so that all the trucks will not just be coming at the same time,” he said.
Ogungbemi said that there
was provision for transit parks in the port master plan which was tampered with
by authorities.
was provision for transit parks in the port master plan which was tampered with
by authorities.
“But for reasons best
known to those in authority, they removed transit parks from the original plan
and use those places for other business activities.
known to those in authority, they removed transit parks from the original plan
and use those places for other business activities.
“Since government have chased trucks from its original parking places,
which is why you see trucks all over the place.
which is why you see trucks all over the place.
“It is not even in the
interest of the truck owners or the drivers to be parking on the road. Parking
on the road and bridges is an aberration.
interest of the truck owners or the drivers to be parking on the road. Parking
on the road and bridges is an aberration.
“It could reduce the lifespan of the bridges
and even the roads; drivers are not happy being in the road that is the truth,”
he added.
and even the roads; drivers are not happy being in the road that is the truth,”
he added.
According to him, drivers
suffer a lot being on the road for several days without sleeping, refreshing
and eating.
suffer a lot being on the road for several days without sleeping, refreshing
and eating.
Ogungbemi,
who noted that such agonies affected the behavioural attitude of truck drivers,
called on the government to regulate and automate movement of trucks to the
ports.
who noted that such agonies affected the behavioural attitude of truck drivers,
called on the government to regulate and automate movement of trucks to the
ports.
He said this would prevent trucks from coming at the same
time to the port, adding that the current system which allowed closer trucks to
access port indiscriminately was not the best.
time to the port, adding that the current system which allowed closer trucks to
access port indiscriminately was not the best.
“Truck owners don’t possess land. Going by
the Land Use Decree, land ownership is vested in the state. No individual,
group and association has power over land.
the Land Use Decree, land ownership is vested in the state. No individual,
group and association has power over land.
“On our own, we identified a place four years
ago which the state government gave us provisional approval.
ago which the state government gave us provisional approval.
“We had started work
on this piece of land with sand filling at a time but the government changed
its mind after we had committed millions of Naira to the place,” he said.
on this piece of land with sand filling at a time but the government changed
its mind after we had committed millions of Naira to the place,” he said.
NAN reports that the perennial gridlock in
Apapa and its environs has remained major headache to government, motorists,
commuters and residents.
Apapa and its environs has remained major headache to government, motorists,
commuters and residents.
