Truck Drivers Call For Ban on Importation of Rickety Trucks, Reduce Age Limit

Maritime truck drivers under the aegis of Joint Council of Seaport Truckers (JCOST) have called on the Federal Government to scrap the importation of rickety trucks as well to reduce the age of the truck coming into the country.
Speaking at the general meeting of the group in Lagos last week, a chieftain of the group who is the truck drivers’ unit chairman of the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) Sir Patrick Onyegbule express the need for government to discourage the importation of old and rickety trucks from coming into the country because they end up on Nigerian roads.
He said that the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has always stressed the need for truck drivers to bring their trucks up to standard but that the same government through the Nigeria Customs Service is collecting duties from the importation of old and rickety trucks.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of JCOST, Alhaji Kayode Odunowo pointed out that the general standard of trucks coming into the ports to pick cargoes has been improved up to 70 per cent.
“We thank God that in spite of all odds, the general standard of our members’ trucks today is on the average, unlike what the situation was some years back”, he stated.
Odunowo also said that in 2012, the Lagos State traffic law had posted a big challenge to his members, but added that his group joined its voice together with others and had succeeded in making the Lagos State government to re-evaluate the law and consider possible amendments.
He said that the government had sent the truck drivers’ resolution to the National Assembly for consideration.