Even as the Lilypond terminal is currently battling for survival , the Association of Maritime Truck owners (AMATO) has advised the federal government through the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to convert the off-dock terminal to a holding bay for truck.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, Secretary of the maritime truck owners group, Comrade Chiaka Nwaogu said that the original concept of the terminal was to serve as a parking lot for port- bound trucks.
Even as the Lilypond terminal is currently battling for survival , the Association of Maritime Truck owners (AMATO) has advised the federal government through the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to convert the off-dock terminal to a holding bay for truck.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, Secretary of the maritime truck owners group, Comrade Chiaka Nwaogu said that the original concept of the terminal was to serve as a parking lot for port- bound trucks.
“That terminal was designed for truck park, they later converted it to a terminal and it is affecting we the truckers", he said.
He said that since the ports were concessioned in 2006, truck owners have been faced with serious challenges of where to park their trucks.
The AMATO scribe added that if the government converts the terminal to a truck park, the lingering traffic gridlock in Apapa will be a thing of the past.
Nwaogu also reiterated that the government should revert the Liliypond terminal to what it used to be, adding that the terminal is currently not meeting the purpose for which it was created.
He alleged that APMT had initially made some moves to relinquish the place for other purposes noting that monies invested have also not been recovered from the terminal.
"We are asking NPA if they can come up to say that they want to convert it to the way it was before", he stated.
The AMATO stalwart urged APMT to support the association in actualising its quest to ensure that the traffic situation is reduced.
"Financially we don't have the capability to buy that place but we want government to assist us to make sure that we use that place as a truck terminal because they have the will power to do so".
He also said that the association has make vigorous efforts to make sure that the terminal is converted to a truck park, stating that government bureaucracy are some of the issues delaying it.
Nwaogu explained that the association and APMT have held series of meetings on the need to convert the Ijora based terminal to a holding bay.
He further added that the proximity of Liliypond terminal to the Lagos Ports Complex will help reduce gridlock on the roads leading to the port.
According to him, more than 3000 trucks will leave the road for the terminal and with that figure, there will be free flow of traffic on the port access roads in Apapa.
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