shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » ‘’ Many Of My Colleagues Have Said Goodbye To Transport And Logistics Business’’.

‘’ Many Of My Colleagues Have Said Goodbye To Transport And Logistics Business’’.

by Joshua
March 30, 2012
in Uncategorized

‘’NPA Gave Us Legal Document To Occupy The Place We Are Today, But The Ministry Of Works Said That The Place Does Not Belong To NPA’’…Keshiro (RTEAN Chieftain)

Comrade Sylvester Keshiro is a former chairman of Apapa Chapter, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria [RTEAN). He recently spoke with our Correspondent, Roland Ekama on issues bordering in the traffic situation in Apapa and other transport related issues.

What Can Government And Stakeholders Do About Apapa Traffic?
Apapa traffic is a serious problem to all road users plying the route and in order to tackle this problem, government should stop companies from being established on Apapa/ Oshodi expressway because the companies around there are just too many. As a matter of fact, we have oil and gas companies scattered all over, talk less of the other part of Apapa which also has a lot of maritime businesses. In other words, these companies make use of trucks, tankers and also trailers that are parked indiscriminately along the roads. These alone are the major causes of traffic congestion in the area. Being an industrial community, everybody wants to come to Apapa for business or to open a business venture. Maybe if vehicles can move in the air, this will bring about a lasting solution to the traffic gridlock in Apapa, and if that cannot happen, there is no way out of the problem of traffic in this end of Lagos State. But if they can carry out maintenance on the roads, it may reduce traffic congestion; there can’t be an end to the traffic problem. Shipping companies must have holding bay outside the port complex for the vehicles to park until they are called upon for loading so that the number of trucks along the road will reduce. As for the port entry, there should be an addition gate to serve as entry point which can take more than three vehicles at once, so it will reduce the number of trucks on the road, if the concessionaires can have three gates, it will help to reduce traffic on the major road and on their way into the port.
 
You Talked About Short Term Measures To Reduce Traffic On The Port Access Roads, What About For Long Term Measures?
The best thing for the Lagos State Government to do in order to have a lasting solution to the traffic problems is for them to reduce the number of oil and gas companies and the maritime service firms that are situated along the port access roads, because with that, most of vehicle will not be seen parked all over the street and roads of Apapa. All that we are saying right now are temporary measures, but if the government can direct most of the companies to relocate from  Apapa, it will be the permanent solution, it is the  only way out of the Apapa traffic, and even though government  expands the roads in it will not solve the problem  at all.

Do You Think It Is Possible For The Government To Relocate Oil And Gas Companies And Maritime Businesses?
Everything is possible because if it is not possible the government will not move the capital of the country from Lagos to Abuja or move the headquarters of Nigeria Port Authority [NPA] from Abuja back to Lagos state, so tell me what is not possible? It is very possible for the government to relocate these companies from this end to other parts of the state for the betterment of the citizens of Lagos state. Instead making populace in Apapa to spend five to six hours on the road on a daily basis, why can’t the government move these companies from the port access roads? For those working in Apapa, with such hours wasted on the road tell me how many minutes or hours will they spend on their jobs in their various offices? That is why I said the government should move these companies away from the port access road, even as we speak the traffic situation in Lagos is affecting the economy in totality, so it is possible and the number of oil companies, shipping and maritime companies are many on the road. Expansion of the road will only reduce traffic congestion and not actually putting an end to it. However this area is more of a residential community because if anything happen right now the whole people in Ajegunle and Apapa will suffer because we are talking about lives and property in general. If anything happens at coconut, sunrise, warehouse and in other parts where you have tank farms and depots, then we all will know that lives and property are at stake. If the flame of a generating set can kill human beings, what about the flame from diesel, petrol and kerosene.

Has The Traffic Situation Changed With The Presence Of A Combined Team Of LAPARC, Police And LASTMA Officials Along The Port Access Road?
The introduction of the Navy, Police and other security personnel along the port access road has helped in one way or the other, but that has not been the permanent solution. It is a bit free compared to the time when there were no officials controlling traffic along the road, but come to think of it, we have two lanes on the expressway for the regular commuters that ply the road everyday, then you have a single lane which ordinarily ought to have been for parking and for passengers to alight at their various bus stop which has been taken over by trucks, tankers and trailers, then you expect a smooth flow of traffic? Is one lane enough for the other users, the answer is no and that is why I said that the issue of drafting traffic officials there cannot arrest the situation on ground. When the ports were opened in Apapa back then, the roads were good and everybody enjoyed it, but as importation of cargoes into the country continues to increase coupled with the upsurge of maritime, shipping and oil and gas activities that are scattered all over the streets of Apapa it turned to what is now on ground. The officials of LAPARC and LASTMA are trying their best, but their best is not still the solution of the lingering problem of traffic in Apapa.
As The Former Chairman, Apapa Chapter of RTEAN, Has There Been Any Dispute

Between Your Men And The LAPARC/LASTMA Official?
There has never been any dispute whatsoever since they commenced operation along the port access road. They are here to maintain orderliness on the road to ensure smooth flow of traffic, but the policy is killing. For instance,  every vehicle that is towed along the port access road is asked to pay N85, 000, this in turn has made a lot of the transporters to wind up their companies because of the problems of vehicles being towed. As a result of the policy by the state government, many of my colleagues have said goodbye to transportation business.

What Does The Policy By The State Government Entail?
When you have a vehicle on the road, it is basically by loans from the banks and for a little mistake either from the driver or whatsoever they ask you to pay N85, 000, this is killing and it has made some vehicles to remain rickety because there is no money to maintain them. If you have loan to put your vehicle on the roads and you are paying a fine of N85, 000, then if your vehicle experiences any fault then it will not be on the road in order for it not to be seized by the officials. Then when you have at least four or five vehicles and drivers are running away from this business because of the long time they spend outside their homes, some spend two to three days outside without their family, this has discouraged some of the drivers, the owners of the vehicles cannot drive two vehicles at the same time. The state government did not provide any parking space for these vehicles and even the place we are right now is in court with the ministry of works because they said the place does not belong to NPA. The truth is that the Nigeria Port Authority gave us legal documents to occupy the place where we are today but the ministry of works said that the place does not belong to NPA, so they came to the place some three years back to tow about 240 vehicles for which we paid over N4 million to LASTMA to recover the towed vehicles and that is why we went to court, however as we speak the case is still in court. So what do we do because if tomorrow the court decides that we should leave here, the big question is where are we going to park or relocate all these vehicles which are meant to service the ports,  because as it is they cannot close down the port and the vehicles here are for use at the ports? Can the ministry of works carry the water to another part of the state? So we are calling on the government to call the ministry of works to order.

How Can You Describe The Nigeria Ports in General?
 Nigeria port has improved in the area of imports, most especially also I must say that safety in the Nigeria port has improved over time, the ports have also improved in terms of congestion. The only thing right now is that the port should provide holding bays and parking space for the vehicles servicing the ports so that all these vehicles will not be on the road, if we have enough parking space right now, things will change.


Related Posts

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

June 30, 2025
Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

March 24, 2025
Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

January 8, 2025
PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Group Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

December 18, 2024

Discussion about this post

Latest News

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 9th July, 2025

FG Donates 3,500 Life Jackets to Boost Waterways Safety in Ogun State

July 9, 2025

Dangote Commends NPA-Led OSS Committee, Donates Bus to Support Operations

Customs Intercepts ₦654m Worth of Undeclared Foreign Currency at Kano Airport, Hands Over Suspects to EFCC

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 9th July, 2025

CRFFN Dismisses Viral Court Judgement Reports, Reaffirms Regulatory Mandate over Freight Forwarders

Lagos Govt. Dismantles Illegal Checkpoints Along Badagry Expressway

Nigeria Customs Sensitises International Airline Operators on Currency Declaration

PHOTO NEWS Collaboration For Trade Facilitation

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 8th July, 2025

Nigerian Exporters Lament as Road Freight to Ghana via Benin, Togo Costs Over ₦10 Million Per Truck  

NIWA Responds to Lagos State’s Call to Halt Sand-Filling Approvals on Waterways 

Shippers’ Council Recovers Over N5.5 Million in Container Deposit Refunds, Demurrage Disputes in Q1

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert
Health

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025

Mrs Roseline Akinlabi, Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health Desk Officer, Osun Primary Healthcare Board, says contraceptive pills cannot cause...

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025
See Mental Illness Like Other Treatable Diseases – Says Suicide Survivor

Health Facts You Didn’t Know

May 19, 2025
Alligator Pepper: Benefits, FAQ, Side Effects, & Warning

Alligator Pepper: Benefits, FAQ, Side Effects, & Warning

April 28, 2025
Water And Health: The Relationship That Helps Life

Water And Health: The Relationship That Helps Life

April 28, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition