AMATO Count Loss Over 12 Days Protest Against APMT

Truck owners operating at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC), under the aegis of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) have said that the 12 days strike action embarked upon by freight forwarders and some truckers at the APMT recently, resulted to  lose of revenue for the government and members also suffered as a result of their action.
The truck owners lamented that during the strike period, trucks were battered by hoodlums and properties worth million were stolen within the period.

Truck owners operating at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC), under the aegis of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) have said that the 12 days strike action embarked upon by freight forwarders and some truckers at the APMT recently, resulted to  lose of revenue for the government and members also suffered as a result of their action.
The truck owners lamented that during the strike period, trucks were battered by hoodlums and properties worth million were stolen within the period.
Apart from that, they also told Auto Port Weekly in Lagos last week that vital parts like battery, key starters, head lamps etc, where stolen in the course of the protest.
Secretary General of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO); Comrade Chiaka Nwogu, revealed that truck owners suffered on account of the strike action in numerous ways stressing that the action was an eye opener for all truck owners in the maritime sector.
He noted that APMT from the onset has not been fair to freight forwarders and truck owners, adding that the strike action was not in favour of any of the parties involved in the industrial action.
According to him, vehicles were vandalized during the period of the strike and in the process members went through hardship and pain.
Nwogu disclosed that millions of Naira has been spent, as part of truck owners’ effort to put their trucks in order.
He however stressed that during the period, trucks operating at Tin Can Island took advantage because of the free flowing traffic.
On his part, interim committee chairman of AMATO; Comrade Steven Rotimi Omotayo said some of the affected members have been compensated.
Rotimi added that more than 15 trucks were vandalized during the strike period. He further confirmed to our correspondent that thousands of litres of petroleum products were siphoned from the vehicles in the process, adding that items like tyres and batteries were also stolen by miscreants during the strike action.