Amidst the mounting traffic chaos caused by the queue of over 2,000 tankers along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway to access Lagos tank farms, stakeholders are calling for a strategic decentralization of petroleum product loading activities from Lagos to other areas of the country.
Checks by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that the backlog of these tankers is not only affecting the smooth traffic operations at the Lagos Tin Can port, but also poses significant challenges for other road users who use the recently cleared congested route.
Recall that the perennial traffic gridlock along Mile 2 to Tin Can Island Port in Lagos was recently cleared, following a joint operation of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Lagos State Government, making it possible to access the Tin Can Island and Apapa ports axis directly from Oshodi through Mile 2, Tin Can Port and straight to Apapa.
However, our correspondent who took a tour around the Tin Can Island port access road, observed that a perennial queue of over 2,000 tankers have surfaced on the Oshodi- Apapa Expressway creating frustration for commuters and truck drivers wreaking havoc on traffic flow to the Tin Can port.
Our correspondent also observed that the long queue extended along a stretch of about 15. 5 kilometers between Iyana-Isolo bus stop and the Tin-Can Island port gate. Just between Second Rainbow bridge and Mile 2, no fewer than 50 tankers were on queue on the road.
In a chat with the Executive Secretary of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Mr. Aloga Ogbodo acknowledged that tanker trucks are not expected to park on the highways or flyovers in Lagos State. He clarified that these roads and bridges were intended for the transit of vehicles and not for stationary ones.
Aloga further noted that despite this understanding, there are underlying reasons for the presence of tankers on Lagos roads and the potential repercussions of any enforced relocation. He emphasized that if the government were to mandate the removal of tanker trucks from Lagos highways, it could lead to fuel scarcity across the country.
Aloga emphasized that the truck drivers were not to blame, but were operating in response to the prevailing circumstances. According to him, Nigeria has approximately 30 petroleum products depots scattered throughout the country, and each of these depots is meant to receive petroleum products. He lamented that the major challenge faced is the non-functionality of many depots due to pipeline vandalization.
The NARTO Chieftain stressed that if these depots were operational, tanker trucks would not need to cover long distances and pay higher transportation costs. He noted that the government should ensure depots to have adequate truck holding bays, which according to him has contributed to the parking challenges on Lagos highways.
In his words: “Ordinarily, in fairness to the people of Lagos State and the Government of Lagos State, tankers are not supposed to be parking on the highway, they are not. It’s really unheard of because that road and those bridges you see are meant for transit vehicles. They are not meant for stationary vehicles. So, they are not supposed to be parking on the flyovers.
“There is no moral justification why we chose to come from Kaduna to come and pick products in Lagos. Because we have depots there where we take them to our pumps, we go there and load them to the depot there to discharge at the appropriate discharging point. These depots are not functional because of pipeline vandalization. So if the depots were functional, the trucks would not be paying the full cost” Aloga said.
One of the tanker drivers on the queue at Cele Bus stop who identified himself as Ibrahim Ahmed, revealed the grueling wait which they endure, stating that they can stay in one spot on the queue for as long as two days before there’s any movement. He said their schedule depends on when they are called-up from the tank farm.
Ahmed shed light on the extensive journey many tankers undertake to reach Lagos. He informed that many of the tankers on queue come from as far as Kano and Kaduna states to load PMS in Lagos. According to him, the journey takes several days to get to Lagos, while they have to wait an average of five more days to gain access to the tank farms.
The tanker driver also lamented the harsh living conditions faced by drivers during these extended waits, adding that they sleep in their trucks day and night by the roadside with no facilities to freshen up or dispose of their waste.
“Many of us come from as far as Kano and Kaduna to load PMS in Lagos. It’s a journey that takes days, and then we have to wait an average of five more days to gain access to the tank farms. We sleep in our trucks day and night with lots of hazards. We do not even have any facilities to take our bath or ease ourselves when we are pressed. It’s a challenging situation for all of us.” Ahmed said.
Also speaking, the Tin Can Chapter Public Relations Officer of the African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (APFFLON), Mr. Clinton Okoro commended the government’s efforts in tackling the persistent gridlock plaguing the port areas. However, he expressed dismay at the resurgence of tanker trucks at the Tin Can Island Port corridor emphasizing the need to decongest Lagos State by decentralizing the loading operations of petroleum products to prevent further disruptions to port operations.
Highlighting the lack of holding bays at terminal operators’ facilities as a contributing factor, Okoro urged the federal government to relocate the tank farms while suggesting alternative sites away from the bustling port area.
“We want to thank the government of the day for taking the bull by the horn to sanitize the corridors of the port. We have been expecting that for a long time. They have successfully cleared the perennial gridlock that have lingered for almost two decades. But unfortunately, the tankers are back on that road. The only remedy to it is to decongest Lagos state. We should not have tank farms on the very road we have our ports. The port is a very busy area with vehicles moving empty boxes or import and export laden boxes in and out of the ports.
“Unfortunately, due to the way we do things in Nigeria, most of the terminal operators don’t have holding bays to receive trucks and boxes. If they consider the type of traffic on that road, they shouldn’t have allowed the tank farms at the axis. The federal government should relocate those tank farms. There are places where those tank farms can be. Those tank farms should not be centered in Lagos alone. There are so many other places we have water or riverside where they can be located” he said.
On his part, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders Nigeria (AREFFN) Taiwo Fatomilola echoed observations of the return of tanker queues, particularly noting challenges faced during peak traffic hours around Mile 2. He criticized the compromise of traffic officers, leading to illegal maneuvers and blockages, exacerbating congestion and delaying commuters.
Fatomilola advocated for an efficient call-up system for tankers while emphasizing the importance of round-the-clock traffic operations to prevent chaos after working hours.
