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Business News of Thursday, 4 February 2021

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

Truckers to Lagos govt: Relocate breweries, Coca-Cola, 7up, others to solve Apapa gridlock

Apapa gridlock Apapa gridlock

Truckers under the aegis of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) have raised the alarm that the plan by the Lagos State Government (LASG) to restrict trucks and articulated vehicles to only night movement will cripple port operations. This is even as the truckers asked the Lagos State government to relocate some companies such as breweries, Coca-cola, 7up Bottling Company, tank farms and other factories from the port area in-order to address the congestion woes along the roads leading to the ports.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune exclusively, Chairman of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi explained that the night restriction move will worsen the congestion crisis that is currently rocking the nation’s ports.

According to the AMATO Chairman, “The restriction of truck movement to nights only within Lagos Metropolis is tantamount to reducing ports operations, as the ports cannot operate without the trucks. Even though we admit the fact about the terrible traffic snarls within Lagos metropolis that requires urgent measures to address, nevertheless, in our own perspective, restriction of trucks movement to night would only create bigger problems apart from the negative impact it would have on the nation’s revenue earning.

“Among the envisaged effects of such restriction includes: crippling of ports operations, jeopardizing of ports revenue earning, ports congestion, cases of hijackers hijacking loaded trucks would be more rampant, and many more. The policy will further endanger the lives of truck drivers/mates and also encourage burgling of containers/goods.

“The restriction would increase the rate at which truckers lose their proceeds directly or indirectly to traffic/security operatives. Another factor why it cannot work is that mechanics are not available at night to fix mechanical breakdown of trucks; warehouses and factories that receive import containers from trucks don’t operate in the night; and terminal operators and other loading/offloading points would not allow trucks to remain in their premises until night due to yard space.

“95 per cent of trucks that we are using are fairly used (Tokunbo), hence, there is always a tendency of truck breakdown as no amount of maintenance can totally shield away breakdown of any truck mechanism. In such cases, which mechanic will attend to broken down trucks at night?”

On ways to address the chaotic traffic snarl along most ports access roads, the AMATO Chairman stated that, “To address the traffic snarl on Lagos roads, the road networks should be expanded. Another solution is to relocate some companies and industries whose operations also worsen the traffic situation around the ports. Companies such as breweries, Coca-cola, 7up Bottling Company, etc should be relocated from the port area. Also, all factories including tank farms should be relocated out of the ports.

“Government should also re-introduce the rail haulage system and the inland waterways means of cargo evacuation.”