The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said yesterday that it will commence the enforcement of safety standards for trucks operating in the nation’s ports by October 2, 2014.
The Apapa Port Manager, Mr Anas Nasir, said in Lagos that the move was to ensure the trucks met basic international safety requirements for maritime operations.
He added that , under the new dispensation, trucks coming into Apapa port must meet minimum standards as would be prescribed.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said yesterday that it will commence the enforcement of safety standards for trucks operating in the nation’s ports by October 2, 2014.
The Apapa Port Manager, Mr Anas Nasir, said in Lagos that the move was to ensure the trucks met basic international safety requirements for maritime operations.
He added that , under the new dispensation, trucks coming into Apapa port must meet minimum standards as would be prescribed.
“We are coming up with minimum standards for the trucks which we are going to start enforcing from Oct. 2, 2014.
“Trucks must meet some minimum standards of safety requirements like carriage, tryes, breaking system and particulars to start with,” Nasir said.
He said the compliance process would be gradual to enable concerned truck operators to integrate smoothly into the system.
“It is going to be gradual because at the beginning, we have to get some basic things that must be complied with.
“Often times and apart from such challenges as bad roads outside the port, the trucks are equally bad.
“While we are doing some palliatives on the roads, we are going to ensure that the trucks are much better to be able to operate,” he said.
Reacting to the proposed new operational standards; Chief Remi Ogungbemi, Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, said that his members were ready and were making effort to adjust to the standards.
“We are aware of NPA’s plan to begin the enforcement of the standard for the trucks, so, it is not going to take us unaware,” he said.
Ogungbemi said the initiative would encourage people to maintain their trucks and it would impact on their business positively.
He however called on the management of NPA to create massive awareness campaign before the commencement date, even as he assured that is group is prepared and that it is a welcome development.
But, another group; the Joint Council of Seaport Truckers (JCOST) has appealed to management of the NPA for a possible extension of the implementation date, saying that the notice is too short for operators in the haulage sub sector of the maritime industry to comply and adjust.
Though JCOST admitted that the development is laudable, it however complained that the NPA did not meet with the truckers to take a final decision.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday, Chairman of JCOST, Alhaji Kayode Odunowo stated that the last meeting with truckers was in May 2014 when and that, there were unresolved issues between truck owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
He said that JCOST is unaware about the safety enforcement notice, adding that some members working hard to put their vehicles in shape to meet with the required standard as requested by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
Odunowo further stressed that, “they ought to have informed JCOST about the commencement date so that our members and other sister associations will put their trucks in shape because the notice is too short"
"It is never too late because we will love the NPA to call, then we talk about how to extend the date for peace to reign, beside we have not been informed about the development and October 2nd is just next week, “he stated.
On his part, General Manager, Operations, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO),Mr. Tijjani Bataiya said the notice was too short because the association need to inform its members ahead of the commence date.
The moves by the NPA to standardize trucks coming into the port followed series of cries of stakeholders on the high number of aged and rickety trucks operating in Nigerian ports.
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