The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has lamented the clustering of petroleum products tank farm at the Ibafon-Ibru axis on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, even as the body has pointed out that 80 percent of petroleum tank farms in the country are currently located in Lagos.
The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has lamented the clustering of petroleum products tank farm at the Ibafon-Ibru axis on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, even as the body has pointed out that 80 percent of petroleum tank farms in the country are currently located in Lagos.
National Secretary of NARTO, Barrister Emmanuel Gowon made this statement last week as a guest on our Shipping Position Live on Star FM. He was reacting to questions about the causes of the ever-present traffic gridlock that has inhibited movement of persons, businesses and vehicles along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Gowon also noted that not less than 1000 trucks troop into Apapa on daily basis in their quest to load petroleum products. The movement of the trucks according to him, has however been slowed down due to the reconstruction of the road by construction company; Julius Berger.
“About 80% of tank farms in Nigeria are located in one part of Lagos and this is Coconut and Ibafon area and all the trucks that come must pass through the some road; on daily basis, not less than 1000 trucks come into Lagos for the purpose of lifting fuel, they must come there because tank farms are concentrated in that axis, combined by the bad state of the road, coupled with the construction work being carried out by Julius Berger on that axis from Oshodi down to Apapa”
“The drivers will leave Sokoto State (for instance) and come here, but because of the pressure generated by this situation, people will now like to cut corners so as to be able to transact their business in good time and leave Lagos, maybe the driver’s trip allowance is just for two days or three days, but he comes here and end up spending 10 days, so they always try to cut corners so that they can leave on time” he said.
The NARTO scribe equally absorbed tanker owners and tanker drivers of any blame in the traffic situation. According to him, the process of entering into the fuel depots is very slow.
He said that the association has created a task force in which it employed people whom it is paying handsomely and given reflective jackets in order to ensure that they help the agencies of government like the police, LASTMA and the Navy to decongest the major access roads.
In addition to educating its members, Gowon said that NARTO has acquired tow trucks that will be deployed for use by members to tow any broken down tanker or trucks before LASTMA could take advantage of the situation.
Speaking further, he said: “The process of entering into the depot itself is sometimes slow, this is not due to the fault of the driver or the owners of the depot, but it is due to circumstances, because of this the vehicles will have to remain there for days, the desperation makes the drivers to shunt, and in the process the road is blocked”.
“Initially nobody accepts the fact that the task force can be of help, but now they have been deployed and working together with Navy, Police and LASTMA in all the black spots and ensuring seamless movement. We have also purchased towing vans across the country, where there are problems with the trucks we immediately deploy our towing vans to the place instead of waiting for LASTMA to tow it and paying heavy. We also have vehicles that carry our task forces around and also assist security agencies” he assured.
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