Maritime sector stakeholders have commended transport minister, Mrs Dezani Allison Madueke for the major reforms that have taken place in the nation’s maritime sector since June, 2007.
They were particular that the port reforms programme which led to the concession of the seaports has recorded tremendous progress and that it is progressing smoothly.
Apart from the port concession, they pointed at the on going construction works at the inland container depots and freight stations at different parts of the country as evidence of as dynamic and focused leadership.
However the greatest commendation came from members of the Apapa (Lagos) business community who gave kudos to Mrs. Allison Madueke for finally finding solution to the debilitating traffic situation in Apapa, Lagos.
The minister had about two months ago given owners of tank farms at Apapa up till September 1, 2008 to create holding bays for trucks that are coming to load petroleum products in their facilities.
Trucks loading from the tank farms have been fingered for causing traffic bottlenecks; a development which made government to constitute a panel of enquiry.
The panel made some far reaching recommendations which included: creation of holding bays away from the ever busy port city of Apapa by the tank farm owners for trucks.
Some of the dealers in used vehicles at the popular Berger auto market very close to the tank farms told our correspondent that since the ministerial directive, the roads no longer experience traffic chaos.
One of them, Mr. Chidi Osuji acknowledged that the major cause of the traffic was the tankers and container- laden trucks which have now been removed. “Some of those trucks try to make u-turn along the road and they cause trouble whenever they come to load at the tank farms”, he added, even as he praised the minister for taking the bull by the horn.
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Similarly, an executive of the petroleum tanker drivers’ branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union (NUPENG) in one of the tank farms, Comrade Femi Adegboro also gave kudos to Mrs Allison Madueke for transforming the road.
“I think the minister of transportation is really doing a good job, because this is what we really need and if she can continue like this, things will only get better, she has really tried. Now, the roads are no longer congested like they used to be, all our trucks are located somewhere else now, they only come for loading when it is their turn, other than that, you can not see them come in.
Also, Mr. Abdullahi Yeyeosa, a vehicle inspection officer, attached to another tank farm confirmed that “most of our trucks that used to be the major cause of traffic on the roads are no more here, the government have commanded us to take them off the roads and government has also made provisions for us at Orile where we now park our trucks. The use of the GSM (telephones) has also helped us a lot because whenever we need the truck that is next in line for loading, we just call on them. I think it’s a good thing.
Apart from this, a cross section of maritime industry players attributed the successes that are being recorded at the ports to the quality of leadership and supervision that the minister has brought into the ministry of transportation.
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