The seven-day ultimatum that was given to truck drivers to vacate the Apapa Wharf road to pave way for the construction company to begin total reconstruction of the ever-busy access into the Lagos port has expired. But there are indications that truck drivers are not ready to comply.
Not only are the trucks still visible on a long queue on the stretch from Marine Road and Ijora Bridge axis leading into the Apapa port, they appear oblivious of the directive that was given to them by the Federal Government to vacate.
The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos; Mr Godwin Eke , who recently gave the directives at a meeting with stakeholders at the ministry’s office in Lagos on June 19 had also appealed to telecoms service providers and other service suppliers to immediately relocate their service cables on the Right of Way (RoW) of the project, for work to begin.
But, the chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO); Chief Remi Ogungbemi told Shipping Position Daily that the directive would be difficult to comply with.
Acknowledging that there is no way trucks will not eventually be moved away, he nevertheless noted that the same trucks are essential parts of port operations.
Ogungbemi said: “Absolutely trucks have to be moved out to allow the contractors do their work, at the same time I want to say that the long-time neglect of the roads is the cause of the problem and not the trucks”.
He maintained that for truck drivers to comply with the seven days quit notice, necessary measures and infrastructures have to be out in place.
“To comply, necessary modality and necessary infrastructures have to be put in place, except if they want to close the ports, because the ports can not operate without the trucks and the trucks must come from somewhere”.
When reminded that if the trucks don’t vacate the roads, how would the contractors do their work?, the AMARTO chair threw it back at our correspondent. “Where will the trucks move to?, he asked. He also added that the association would appeal to its members who have trucks holding bays to use them, but he acknowledged that they are in the minority.
“We will continue to encourage our members, especially those who have garages to use them, but what about those that have containers or those coming in with export, can they go to their garages?”
Chief Ogungbemi insisted that the Federal Government must provide space to park the trucks and that it is near-impossible for the truck drivers to vacate the Apapa-Wharf road within one week.
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