The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has pleaded with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to collaborate with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to get the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government to help to secure a loan which will be used to acquire a piece of land to serve as a holding bay for truckers working at Tincan Island and Apapa ports.
The association said this last week when it leaders paid a courtesy visit to Shippers Council, at its head office in Lagos.
Speaking during the visit, President of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, said that the land which the association has discovered is big enough to accommodate about 1,500 trucks.
He also said that the place is almost ready and that AMARTO would move in as soon as payments are completed.
The AMARTO chair told the Shippers Council boss that: “ I am here again to also let you know that on our own, we have discovered another place, a place that is big enough to accommodate about 1,500 trucks and the place I must say is already laid with asphalt, the place is about few kilometres to the Apapa and Tin-Can ports. But the asking price of that place is outside what we can achieve. I am even suggesting, maybe we should put it in writing, with the authorities especially to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, if through Shippers’ Council or through NPA, the Federal Government in collaboration with Lagos state government will give us a loan to get the place, so that we work out a modality on how the truck owners will start paying back the loan for which the governments will use to acquire the place, because this can also be transferred to be paid along with terminal charges which the truckers will be paying daily to park at the terminal”.
Speaking further, he said that the owner of the property is asking for outright sale, he expressed optimism that with the assistance of Shippers’ Council, the association can acquire the place.
“The place as I speak, if we meet the conditions within 12 hours or within 24 hours, we can move in and start using the place. But the owners of the property is asking for outright sale and for your information, we have taken the owner of the property to the NPA and negotiation is on-going with the owners facility and I know that by the time the Nigerian Shippers’ Council steps in, it will fast track and make it possible”, he added.
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