Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa is chairman of the newly-formed (coalition) committee of truckers under the aegis of Coalition of Port Dry Cargo Transport Operators (CPDCTO). In this interview with Shipping Position Daily, he shed light on what informed the setting up of the body and how they hope to achieve their aim. The NARTO chieftain also told our correspondent, Roland Ekama about the current face-off with the NPA, and other transport related issues as they affect maritime operations in Lagos.
“Potholes are the major causes of fallen containerised cargoes”
What actually led to the formation of the Coalition of Port Dry Cargo Transport Operators (CPDCTO)?
CPDCTO was formed as fallout of a meeting we had with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), whereby the various truck owners associations were duly represented and the management of the authority kicked against our demands. We all felt we should speak with one voice to drive home our demands and that is why we have no option than to come together; basically what this committee aimed to achieve is to see that our demands are met by NPA, through dialogue and if such prove abortive, we have no option than to plan and put in place logistics for a peaceful protest for the authority to understand that we are stakeholders in the industry and our voice must be head.
What are your demands?
The first one is the N10000 levy put in place by NPA to be paid by us. Another is the deplorable roads within the ports and the extortion tendency by NPA officials and other government agencies. There is no holding bay or truck park for vehicles, no enabling environment for us to work effectively. However it is a known fact that transporters are always not carried along whenever issues concerning transportation in the sector comes up.
As the chairman of the committee, do you have the intention to embark on any form of withdrawal of service?
We are still in talks with the NPA; we are still consulting relevant stakeholders on how to resolve the issues on ground. What we are doing at this point is to sensitize members, then create awareness for the general stakeholders as well as embarking on a one day demonstration as regards the N10000 demand by NPA.
Why did the committee decide to appoint or select you as the chairman or is it because you are a member of NARTO?
I think it is the choice of the committee to select me the chair the committee; it is their decision that made me emerge as chairman. I don’t really know, maybe they saw that I can deliver in this area. However whatever we are doing at this point is done collectively because it’s a body of various truck associations and unions in the industry. As the chairman of the committee, we are working together to achieve a common goal and whatever we agree to do is binding.
NARTO members have been accused by NUPENG that they are the major cause of accidents on our roads, what is your reaction to that?
There are so many factors associated with accident on our roads and I don’t think it is fair for one group to come out and point accusing fingers at us saying that we are the cause of road accidents. Ask the NUPENG members what are the causes of accidents on our roads? But truth be told, bad roads constitute to accident. Apart from that the high number of bus stops on the road ; the way at which commercial buses park on the road is alarming in the state and this is a problem. Even when some of these commercial bus drivers are driving on the road they may decide to park on that same road for the sake of getting passengers along the road. It is wrong for them to say NARTO members are the cause of accident on our roads. How can someone invest his money to buy truck which involves millions of Naira then give it to someone who is not qualified to be a driver; it is impossible. So it goes beyond what they are saying because there are so many factors and as a dry cargo specialist, I will say containers are falling because of the bad roads. There are potholes and gullies on the roads and whenever a truck gets to that point and eventually falls-off, you find out that the container will still be intact the same way it was latched before leaving the port. In the dry cargo section, containers are prone to accidents and the fact remains that potholes are the major causes of fallen containerised cargoes. At times also, the packaging system of the content inside the container is another factor why accident occurs on our roads, because the driver may not be aware of the content he is carrying. And again, in packaging, those who load the truck sometime load above the required capacity. Another factor is that some of the terminals do not have Way Bridge and I think that again leads to accident.
The NPA has decided to extend the deadline date for another 21 days what is your reaction to that?
We cannot react to the extension date, because that is not what we are saying. What we want them to do is for them to relax the N10000 levy for electronic stickers. We are in total support of the minimum standard which surrounds safety of our trucks, but what we are kicking against is the monetary aspect, because it appears to us as extortion.
Between NPA, and Lagos State Government, who should be commended for the free flow of vehicles witnessed on Apapa roads?
I think the Lagos State government must be commended for the free flowing movement of vehicles within Apapa and the ports access roads, because after various meetings with the concerned stakeholders in time past there were so many agitation from the stakeholders, but one of the commissioners from Lagos State was able to articulate these thoughts by ensuring that there is sanity on the roads. You will recall that there were multiple taskforces on these roads, but no solution to the problem of gridlock. Road users are smiling using the roads freely without hitches and I must commend the Lagos State government for their understanding, for listening to the cry of the port users.
Dangote Group has promised to fix from the Ijora – Wharf road, what is your take on that?
Let me use this opportunity to thank the Dangote group and Alhaji Dangote himself for the kind gesture at this present time when the country is going through hardship. Although it is the duty of the government to fix the road, but really we commend and thank him for that move.
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