The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has warned trailer drivers parking indiscriminately on roads in Apapa, Lagos, to desist or risk prosecution.
Consquently, the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action Against Road Abuse (FERCSARA) set up by FERMA has called on the drivers to desist from parking on the highway .
The body embarked on an enlightenment campaign towards enforcement of an agreement it reached with stakeholders on curbing of road abuse in the country.
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has warned trailer drivers parking indiscriminately on roads in Apapa, Lagos, to desist or risk prosecution.
Consquently, the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action Against Road Abuse (FERCSARA) set up by FERMA has called on the drivers to desist from parking on the highway .
The body embarked on an enlightenment campaign towards enforcement of an agreement it reached with stakeholders on curbing of road abuse in the country.
As part of the enlightenment campaign, the committee members and a team from FERMA on last weekend went tour of major roads in Apapa to educate stakeholders on road abuses.
The team met with transporters, freight forwarders and officials of NUPENG on the need to educate their member on the need to imbibe good road use and maintenance culture.
The FERMA, Engineer in charge of Lagos West 2 Mr Kehinde Afolabi, warned road users of the danger of road abuses which included accidents, gridlock and revenue loss.
Some of stakeholders at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Tincan Island Ports blamed shipping companies for congestion on the road leading to the ports.
Public Relation Officer of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria; Mr Femi Williams alleged that shipping companies failed to provide loading bays for trucks to offload their containers.
“All the loading bays outside ports are not working, nobody wants to park outside the ports for days. But the shipping companies did have functional loading bays outside the ports.
“Some of our members have to resort to parking along the road. We want shipping companies to get their loading bays working,’’ he said.
Williams also blamed bad roads along the ports for the congestion on the road.
Responding to issues raised by the various groups, Afolabi urged them to stop “the blame game'' and unite to fight the menace which was affecting the whole society and national resources.
While fielding questions from journalists, he insisted that trailer drivers must use only one lane into the ports as from Sunday to make way for other road users.
He also emphasis that drivers must use the loading bays.“There are loading bays and they must use them.
“We have invited their leaders; there is need for us to meet on roundtable to strategise, because the implementation must begin.
“ We must solve the problem, once and for all,’’ the FECSARA acting chairman, South West said.
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