The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that it hopes to use the truck call up system to define the port environment when it fully comes on stream.
The General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications of the Authority, Engr. Adams Jatto who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos recently said that they wanted to ensure that they define the port environment where the trucks could park and subsequently access the port through the call up system.
Jatto noted that with the call up system in place, no truck would be allowed to access the port environment if it does not have any business to do at the port.
While hoping that the delineation of the port environment would facilitate a healthy road for the industry, he however assured that effort was being made to ensure that Apapa was free of traffic.
In his words,” I told you that we have started a call up system and with the call up system; we actually want to define the port environment. Defining port environment will have to start from Mile 2 to Tincan or you are coming from the Alaka side. We want to ensure that we define what we call the port environment, after we have defined what we call the port environment where the truck can be stopped so that at the end of the day, each of the truck owners will have their truck parks no matter how small they are, so that as soon as they are in these parks, they can use the call up system, to call them to the port.
“So, if you don’t have any business to do, no truck will be seen within the vicinity of the port environment which I have said we are going to define and I think with that, we should be able to have a healthy road for us to begin to work with. I assure you that effort is being made and we have not left any stone unturned in ensuring that we make that place free of traffic”.
He further maintained that the gridlock on Apapa road was not only the responsibility of the Nigerian Ports Authority as he argued that the onus lied with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that those roads were repaired.
“You will see that since the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority came into power, she had tried all she could to ensure that at least, these areas are brought to the notice of the Ministry that is involved. That is why you are seeing that from Leventis down to the port, the road has been done properly. You have to look at how it was and how it is now.
“Then if you come to the issue of trucks coming and going, you have a lot of issues and of course, these are being addressed on daily basis. I assure you that with the effort we are making in ensuring that we commission the trailer park which is under construction now in Tincan Island port and within a period of time, that one will be put into use and at the end of the day, we are going to have solution to the gridlock issue.
“Of course, we have equally started what we call the call up system and this is something we want to enhance and ensure that we put into place. Necessary arrangements are being done and of course, our security department is equally at the helm of affairs to ensure that they collaborate with other security agencies like the army to ensure that these areas are far from the road”, he said.
He therefore pleaded with the port users and stakeholders to be patient with the Management of the Authority as the gridlock would soon be a thing of the past.
Send your news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @ptreporters and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526, 08053908817.
