Amid the modest benefits of the Truck Transit Park (TTP) in eliminating traffic gridlock at Lagos ports, experts have stressed the need to provide legislative backing for the TTP practice.
The Publisher of MMS Plus newspaper, Mr. Kingsley Anaroke, gave this recommendation while presenting a paper at the conference on Electronic Truck Call-up system organized by Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) on Thursday.
Speaking at the event themed: “Repositioning ETO Call-up System for Optimal Performance,” the veteran journalist noted that it will be a misconception to assume that the process had legal backing.
His words: “To back this proposition up with legislation, the electronic call –up system operates within the Apapa municipal jurisdiction as such all that is needed is to enact a Bye- Law or an Ordinance which is the responsibility of the elected Councilors to carry out to give it effect. Mobile courts are presided over by Magistrates.”
Meanwhile, he observed that there also concerns that the platform has shifted from problem-solving to revenue generation with the handlers neglecting the real issues and placing premiums on the volume of vehicles they receive.
He asserted ETO has yielded the sum of N34.4billion in the two years of operation using N21,500 truck booking call- up fee charged by TTP as basis of calculation.
Anaroke, however, advised the leadership of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to license two more electronic call–up companies for competition, while ensuring continuous review of the infrastructure and enforcement processes.
“For the prosecution of officers or culprits in electronic call –up racketeering to deter others. I strongly recommend the use of mobile court to adjudicate ETO cases with measures of penalties capable discouraging fraud or cutting corners,” he posited.
Meanwhile, the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, NPA, Mr. Charles Okaga, argued that until the confusuion created by tanker operators along the Mile 2 to Tin Can Island route is addressed the perennial traffic witnessed on the road will continue.
His words: “If we can bring the issue of petroleum tankers within control and sequential call up to the respective tank farms and depot, it means that we are halfway through the problem of solving the chaos in the Mile 2 – Tincan axis.”
Okaga also stated that since all stakeholders and port users alike were contributory to the situation, they all should also be contributory to the solution saying, “If we are prepared to have improvement to our situation, there will be improvement.”
Earlier, the President of MARAN, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, noted that despite its positive impacts, the electronic call-up system has faced criticism, with some operators alleging that it has worsened the traffic crisis and facilitated corruption and extortion.
“Critical stakeholders have raised concerns that the platform had deviated from its original purpose and turned into a source of revenue generation and that the port environment has returned to the pre-Hadiza Bala-Usman era.”
“Furthermore, truckers and industry experts highlighted preferential treatment, infrastructure inadequacies, and deep-rooted corruption as major hindrances to the system’s effectiveness. These issues have led to congestion, gridlock, and increased operational costs, undermining the system’s intended benefits,” he remarked.
The event was attended by an array of maritime bigwigs including the President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero; Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola; President, Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Otunba Frank Ogunojemite; Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi; President, Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), Hon. Olubunmi Olumekun; among others.
