The electronic call up system for trucks operating in Lagos ports was introduced in February 2021. The contract was given to Messrs Truck Transit Park (TTP), to manage the movement of trucks into and out of ports.
The operators; TTP consequently designed and introduced an application called eto, a Yoruba word for orderliness.
The eto was designed for use bytruckers to book turns to enter the ports, devoid of human-to-human interface, a clear and significant departure from the usual practice in the ports.
There is no doubt that the implementation of the “eto” has yielded positive results, including a notable decrease in traffic congestion and a reduction in haulage costs by about 65%.
However, the system was not without challenges. Issues such as middlemen engaging in ticket racketeering, selling access slots at exorbitant prices, and the persistence of corrupt practices among enforcement officials undermined the system’s efficiency. These obstacles highlighted the necessity for continuous oversight, infrastructure enhancement, and stringent enforcement to maintain the system’s integrity.
Regrettably, the e call up operators have also admitted different challenges that it is facing in its efforts to fulfill the mandate of an efficient electronic trucking into the ports in Lagos.
Messrs TTP accused unnamed individuals of frustrating the system. They told journalist that the firm was finding it difficult to cope with the saboteurs.
The summary of the problem is the electronic call up system has failed and require a complete overhaul and upgrade. The eto call up system has been uncontrollably compromised, and that is the painful fact.
Perhaps, to rejig the system, in December 2024, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, set up a committee to review the operations of the e-call up system in Lagos ports.
While inaugurating the committee, the Minister had said: “Every possible abuse of the system by humans should be x-rayed and solutions provided to ensure that it is abuse-free. I have several suggestions on how I believe the system can be strengthened. But I want input from the stakeholders.
“This is why I have set up this committee to interfere with the service provider and other stakeholders in the industry to come up with the best way of dealing decisively with the saboteurs,” the minister said”.
By setting up the committee, there is an admittance on the part of the government that the process has been compromised, and possibly failed.
Yes, the electronic call up was a revolution. It changed the traffic management landscape of Apapa. No longer do we have articulated vehicles perpetually on queue on the approaches to Apapa.
However, the operators of the eto should go back to the drawing board and re-strategize. This is important, especially now that a similar exercise is about to launched officially at the Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos, where the very expansive Lagos Free Trade Zone is located. The zone is a major catalyst for the development of Lagos state, and indeed Nigeria
The Lekki Free Zone covers a total area of about 155 square kilometres and currently plays host to many high-net-worth businesse
Arguably, the biggest investment in the Lekki Free Trade Zone is the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical plant and the Lekki Deep Seaport. But, unless urgent action is taken, the emerging traffic chaos around the Lekki Free Trade Zone may hunt Lagos for a long time to come.
Navigating through the Lekki-Epe corridor, the urgency for a functional e-call up system becomes even more pronounced.
Recognizing this challenge, the Lagos State Government announced plans to implement an E-Call Up system for the Lekki-Epe axis by August 1, 2024. It later rescheduled the flag-off to September 23, 2024. Despite these announcements, the system’s deployment has experienced delays, raising concerns among stakeholders about the potential replication of Apapa’s logistical nightmares in the axis.
We appeal to the Lagos state government to treat the commencement of electronic call up in Lekki with the urgency it deserves.
It is also a surprise that petroleum products tankers are kicking against the introduction of e-call up at the Lekki-Epe corridor. We recall that they kicked against their being captured within the same procedure in the Apapa and Tin Can port electronic call up system. They actually had their way.
But, this should not be allowed in Lekki. The volume of petroleum products from the Dangote refinery alone, requires that a tech-driven system must be embraced. We know that Petroleum Product Tanker Drivers (PTD) union have also argued that they have their own peculiar way of handling their members. But this old way cannot suffice in Lekki with the high volume, expansive and diverse businesses domiciled there.
The Lagos state government must not bow to the tanker drivers’ usual threat of going on strike. They did that in Apapa and they had their way. The result is the usual one-lane huge queue of tankers which extends from as far as Iyana Isolo to Apapa.
It will be appropriate to take a second look at the promises made at the onset of the electronic call-up system in Apapa, in February 2021 and how well the system has fared since its introduction.
We are glad that the Federal Government is equally planning to introduce the e-call up system in Onne, Rivers state. There is no doubt that that corridor equally deserves a tech-driven traffic management system, akin to what obtains in Lagos. The huge cargo traffic from Onne port, and the diversity of business interests in that axis has made the plan a very important one.
Those who are calling for the unbundling of the electronic call-up system by bringing new actors, may have a point.
In all honesty, the handlers of eto, that is, Messrs Truck Transit Park (TTP) Limited have not done enough to make the system seamless and devoid of abuses.
The call for an overall is not misplaced, it is also a confirmation of the fact that Messrs TTP has not done well. This is true, because most of the promises that were made have not been fulfilled. If eto had worked well, there ought not to be any truck on the approaches to Apapa port and Tin Can port.
There is no doubt that there is a gross abuse of the ticketing and payment system, as well as the excesses of personnel of government agencies who have turned their assignments to a lucrative business of extortion. They have been joined by some non-state actors and a plethora of transport union officials
The electronic call-up system was expected to restore sanity within the Apapa port corridor by removing the daily traffic congestion. This looked good on paper, and the arrangement actually worked in the beginning, then the unexpected began to happen, thus threatening the success of the e-call up.
Added to these, is the extortion that resurfaced on the Lagos ports corridor, where the various personnel of government agencies who have been drafted to the ports corridor started compromising on a larger scale.
The electronic call up system is an IT-driven initiative, which requires regular upgrade. Apart from promises to upgrade, this newspaper is yet to see or hear from stakeholders that the eto is a top-of-the -range app.
All of the above have collectively made a mess of the electronic call up system. This is certainly not the intent of the call up system.
These lapses are a pointer to the fact that the expected take-off of the system at the Lekki-Epe corridor must be better handled.
These lapses are lessons to be taken-in by the handlers of Lekki and Onne electronic call up system. They must do a better job, and the various government interests must collaborate to make it work.
