Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO); Chief Remi Ogungbemi, has urged all parties involved in the haulage chain to first consider safety to guard against incidences of falling containers.
Ogungbemi made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos last week.
Speaking against the backdrop of a loaded container that fell off a truck at Apapa on Wednesday last week, Ogungbemi said the frequency at which containers were derailing called for concern.
Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO); Chief Remi Ogungbemi, has urged all parties involved in the haulage chain to first consider safety to guard against incidences of falling containers.
Ogungbemi made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos last week.
Speaking against the backdrop of a loaded container that fell off a truck at Apapa on Wednesday last week, Ogungbemi said the frequency at which containers were derailing called for concern.
“This has been happening and we are not happy at all when a cargo is not delivered to its destination safely.
“ A lot can be done if everyone involved in the operation gets more safety-conscious,’’ he said.
He was optimistic that the latest efforts in rehabilitation of the roads within the port city would reduce container accidents.
The accident created a traffic gridlock in Apapa and left many commuters and motorists stranded for hours.
Ogungbemi said incessant container accidents could be attributed to overloading and bad roads.
According to him, an investigation by AMATO showed that most of the container accidents were caused by rickety trucks.
Ogungbemi also identified the absence of weigh bridges at loading points as a major problem to the haulage services.
According to him, a lot of containers are falling off trucks because there are no regulations.
“Some trucks are not suppose to carry more than 10 tonnes but you see them carrying between 20 tonnes to 30 tonnes.
He also faulted the attitude of some clients who declared false weight in order to pay less for the goods..
“The truck customers also contribute to the problem because they want to pay less.
“They present papers to say it is a light load but by the time the truck is loaded, you will discover it is different from their claim,’’ he said.
He said the association would work toward effective regulations for improvement.
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