· We want credible sustainable alternative, not monopoly – COMTUA
Oluyinka Onigbinde
Messrs Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP) and the Council of Maritime Trucks Union Associations (COMTUA) have sharply disagreed over the monopoly of the trucks electronic call-up system of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
President of COMTUA, Adeyinka Aroyewun, in a chat with our correspondent insisted that there must be an alternative to the TTP-operated electronic call-up system. He alleged that the present electronic call-up system is inefficient and needs a formidable alternative, rather than having it monopolized by a single company.
But, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Truck Transit Park Limited; Mr. Temidayo Adeboye has described as total selfishness on the part of the truckers to call for the unbundling of the e-call up system
Adeboye in an exclusive chat with our correspondent last week stated that there is nothing wrong with the eto app that is being used for the e call-up, stating that the system is the best thing to have happened to the Nigerian port environment.
He said the app has brought heightened sanity to port environs, even as he added that those calling for the unbundling of the system are just being selfish.
Speaking on some of the challenges faced by eto since inception, the COO informed that the major challenge is dealing with extortion from area boys and the transport union groups.
He however informed that the company is in talks with the Lagos State government as regards changing some of the policies that allow unions to be collecting dues or extorting truckers on the road.
Adeboye also informed that many of the truck drivers are not tech-savvy and as such, they find it difficult to use the app.
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But the COMTUA President fired back saying that the truckers group is calling for the total unbundling of the truck call up system.
“We are calling for a credible sustainable and formidable alternative and someone is insisting on monopoly and inefficiency, who is more selfish; all we want is a credible alternative,” he said.
Recall that COMTUA had last week threatened to withdraw its services from the port owing to alleged extortion and the inefficiency of the eto electronic call-up system.
But, in a chat with our correspondent the group’s President disclosed that the planned withdrawal has been suspended following an appeal from relevant government agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Lagos State government.
“We have suspended the withdrawal of service due to appeal from relevant agencies including the NPF, Lagos state government, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), NPA and other stakeholders to enable us to achieve some resolution.”, he said.
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