The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has assured that the first set of modern trucking facilities in the country would be commissioned before in the next 18 months.
The Council disclosed this on Monday when the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO) paid a courtesy visit to its head office in Lagos.
Speaking during the visit, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council; Mr Hassan Bello, said that there is need for the agency to look into the distribution chain and see what they can do to ensure that the area is reformed.
“We are working toward operating an electronic gate at the nation’s ports in line with global practices.”
He said that the restructuring exercise had called for support of all critical stakeholders in the maritime industry to enable the port access roads to be free from traffic bottleneck.
“There will be introduction of modern traffic system at the ports’ gate, which will give port operators the opportunity to view the ports from far distance.
“Truck responsibility is key to the economy in terms of chain distribution because truck business is an international business.
“The maritime economy does not end at the seaports but end when the goods are delivered to the owners,” Bello said.
He said that rickety trucks on the roads would be a thing of the past with the establishment of modern infrastructure in the maritime environment.
The council’s boss said that government had come up with policies that all ports should be linked with rail, saying that there would be holding bay and truck parks in the country.
Bello said that the Truck Transit Park would enable truckers to be more comfortable during the discharge of their duties.
He also maintained that the agency will be partnering with AMARTO to reform the transportation sector.
Earlier, President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, (AMARTO); Chief Remi Ogungbemi, commended the efforts of the Nigerian Shippers Council, in making truckers enjoy their work.
He also said that the Truck Transit Park project that was recently unveiled in Abuja was a welcomed development.
“I thank the NSC for the TTP recently unveiled in Abuja; I must say that it is a welcomed development. The reason why trucks are littered everywhere is that the place we used to park our trucks before now have been taking over, it is not the intention of truckers to be littering the roads. I am also very grateful to shippers’ council for the palliatives they have fixed. I am also applauding the effort of the shippers’ council in getting a park for us. We are working to see if we can get a truck terminal which can help solve the problems of trucks parking outside”
Speaking further, he applauded the efforts of the Nigerian Shippers council in collaboration with the Nigerian Automobile Company ( NAC) in getting rickety trucks off the road.
He also commended the council for supporting the association.
“The commencement of the Truck Transit Parks will enable truckers to be more comfortable with their operations.
“ We remember when government approved the trade fair site to be used as Transit Park but it is now moribund.
“We need conducive environment and if we have functioning transit parks our problems are solved,” Ogungbemi said.
He pleaded with the council to engage in continuous sensitisation of their members to enable them to key into the infrastructure reform at the ports.
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