Truck owners under the aegis of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) is lamenting the porous condition of the arteries connecting the two seaports in Lagos States, even as it also called on the newly-appointed Managing Director; Ms Hadiza Usman Bala to expedite action in providing solution to the failed corridor connecting the ports.
The truck owners maintained that the level of trucks accessing the seaports in Lagos is yet to meet with the standards put in place by NPA, in conformity with its standardisation of trucks agenda.
Executive Secretary, NARTO, Comrade Aloga Ogbogo in a chat with journalists in his office last week, maintained that there is a fund domicile in Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for road rehabilitation.
Ogbogo added that N10,000 collection by the agency for truck standardisation is illegal, adding that the 7% development fee is meant for all roads linking the ports , he called on the new boss of NPA to investigate usage of the fund.
According to him, there has been proliferation of fake truck stickers in circulation which is currently creating room for substandard truck to gain access into the ports , yet NPA is no longer bothered about the nature trucks entering the ports.
He maintained that the standardisation of trucks project put in place by the NPA remains a failed project, stressing that the agency is only concerned about the fund.
"I am sure you are aware that there are fake stickers in circulation and the purpose of that project was just to collect from truck owners and not for the purpose of setting standards for the nature of trucks doing business at the ports".
Ogbogo reiterated that the purpose of truck standard has been defeated and there is need for the new MD to ask questions about that project and why there still rickety trucks on the ports corridors.
"The project on truck standardisation is already dead on arrival and before now we have stated that the N10,000 collection from truck operators is illegal because what they are asking for is what the importer has already settled"
He said NPA is collecting money for services that it did not render , he requested that the Vehicle Entry Permit Scheme should be investigated by the new NPA boss.
"Before the consignee import through a vessel, he has already paid the cost because the trucks coming to lift the cargo has already be instructed by the consignee"
"If the NPA wants to put in place an electronic gate system in the ports, then the transporter has no hand to pay for it", he maintained.
The NARTO chieftain said that the association is ready to comply with safety and standard procedures put in place by the NPA, but argued that there is the need to do the right thing in order not to fall back on square zero.
He said there is need for physical checks and inspection of the trucks, alleging that a large number of trucks today were not inspected during the exercise.
"NPA collects 7% development fee and that fee is meant to develop port access roads and as we can see today the access roads are no go area yet we say the ports are the gateway to the nation economy"
He however urged the new MD of NPA to set a legacy for herself considering the deplorable state of the roads linking the two seaports in Lagos State, saying that the roads are in a complete state of disrepair.
Auto Port Weekly, in a recent chat with the General Manager Western Ports of NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi was told that the 10 drivers had been arrested for unlawful possession of the stickers which NPA affixes on trucks that have been examined and certified okay to do business at the ports.
He had said that the police had commenced investigation to unravel how they obtained the stickers and how they are being cloned.
He added that the agency was yet to get strong evidence on how the stickers are being cloned.
According to him, NPA is pursuing a noble course, pointing out that the public safety, and security of lives and properties remain a priority for the agency.
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