The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is seeking investment for partnership in the construction of seven model truck transit parks across the country, its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hassan Bello has said.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is seeking investment for partnership in the construction of seven model truck transit parks across the country, its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hassan Bello has said.
Speaking in his office, the Shippers’ Council boss said that they are in talks with the relevant government agencies as well as the concerned state governments for the preliminary work. Bello further explained that the proposal for the first one has been concluded with the Kwara State and it is to be located at Lokoja; the state capital.
“Yes, the council is working on transit parks and the idea is the delivery of cargo by trucks because what we have doing is primitive. We need a place where trucks are parked away from the main roads.
“Go to Ogere along Lagos – Ibadan expressway, you have to maneuver to press through and human lives are being endangered. In the proposed truck transit parks which are away from the main roads, it will be designed in such a way that drivers will be willing to drive in their trucks for stop over. There will be hotels, there will be mechanic repairs yard, there will be gas station, restaurants, etc.
“Other travelers will find it easy to stop at the truck transit park where the trucks and trailers are because of the facilities on ground. It is more than comfort and I think that state governments are also going to have offices in those places because they will be mainly at the boundaries, and they can advertise their potentials.
The NSC helmsman, who described the parks as one-stop shop areas, noted that they will save drivers the stress of driving long distances without stop, which is very dangerous. He also pointed out that the Council is looking at the possibility of collaborating with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in changing the orientation of the drivers.
In his words, “We are having the first one in Lokoja and we are already talking with the Kogi State Government and they will soon allocate the parcel of land where we start the experimentation scheme. It is going to be on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis because we need large private sector participation in this project.
“We are going to talk with Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), they are in charge of concessionaires in this regard. The Federal Ministry of Works in doing something similar but theirs is basically a trailer park. Our own is going to be more elaborate. There is not going to be any conflict, in fact we are already talking with them.
Bello said that the Shippers’ Council has in the past partnered with truck owners under the aegis of National Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and that they are presently collaborating to see that their charges are not too high or arbitrarily increased and forced on shippers.
He explained that there are some technical issues with trucks also. And that they would like to collaborate with FRSC to see that containers are properly latched to trailers, to avoid the unfortunate incidence of containers falling off trucks and destroying human lives and properties.
The NSC boss noted that the traffic situation also results in delay in the delivery of cargoes, noting further that cargo must be delivered as quickly as possible. Similarly, he expressed concerned about the age and utility of these trucks because some of them are too old and rickety, they should not be allowed to carry cargo on the road.
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