- Truckers Accuse TTP of Orchestrating Truck Stalling
- TTP Slams 90 Days Disablement On 83 Trucks For Infractions
The buck-passing by both Truck Transit Park and its main stakeholders; truck operators deepened further last week as both parties traded accusations over the intractable truck menace in Apapa and the attendant sharp practices.
While TTP, which operates the electronic call-up system for trucks coming into Lagos ports, sanctioned scores of trucks for violating the Standard Operating Procedure and sharp practices last week, the truckers have also accused TTP of being the root cause of the persistent problem of trucks stalling in the ports. This is even as they called for the overhauling of the electronic call-up process, asserting that the foundation of the lingering problem must be addressed.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that TTP had recently announced plans to enforce strict measures against trucks stalling in Lagos Port Complex (LPC) to ensure smooth flow of cargo through the port.
But in an apparent move aimed at maintaining order and adherence to regulations, TTP has gone ahead to deactivate several trucks from its Call-Up system, popularly known as Eto. This means that the affected trucks will not be involved in haulage business, while the sanction lasts.
Specifically, TTP last week announced the deactivation of about 83 trucks from the Call-Up system. This action comes in response to specific infractions such as mismatched or cut plate numbers amongst other infractions that were committed by truck owners, as outlined in an official notice which was made available to our correspondent.
According to the notice, trucks involved in the infractions at Seaplane have been disabled for a period of 90 days. These infractions, detailed across multiple pages of documents, have warranted a temporary suspension of truck operations within the ETO system.
Not done, TTP also warned that trucks found to have defaulted on the Minimum Safety Standards (MSS) will face severe consequences. The notice specifies that some trucks have been permanently deactivated from the ETO system.
Truckers who spoke to Shipping Position Daily noted that the delay that trucks encounter adds financial strain to importers revalidating their Terminal Delivery Orders (TDOs) multiple times, resulting in significant costs and potential withdrawal of TDOs from trucks to cut expenses.
Justifying the attendant sharp practices, the truckers said that in the light of this, those who are lucky to get access to the ports often decided to stall while awaiting jobs in order to recoup the money spent on the booking of Eto (Electronic Call up system) and Diesel.
Speaking to one of our correspondents last week, Vice President of Nexus Association of Maritime Transport Operators (NAMTOP), Mr Rilwan Bello expressed concerns that the prioritization of certain individuals for cargo evacuation by NPA contributes to the chaos.
According to Bello, certain individuals receive special treatment, allowing them to acquire evacuation passes for up to 20 to 30 trucks daily, which are oftentimes resold to other truckers. He noted that this practice grants preferential access to the port, leaving those adhering to the standard procedures waiting for weeks.
Bello labeled the favored group as the “E call-up cabals,” accusing them of exploiting the system to the detriment of the majority. He alleged that the current system has been infiltrated.
“You cannot solve the problem of trucks stalling in the ports, if the foundation or root cause of the problem is not taken care of. They should stop deceiving us, TTP knows what they are doing. There are people given priority, which NPA considers as people who want to help evacuate cargoes from the port. So I can just write a letter to NPA telling them I have certain cargoes to pick. They will now give evacuation passes of 20 or 30 trucks per day to them. Those ones will now go and sell their call-ups. That way, they are given the chance to move at any time. They will go into the port and pick up all the cargo that those that are in the pre-gate have been waiting for two weeks and they cannot go. By the time they batch them out, what will be left in the post to carry? Nothing. And you expect them after doing the due diligence not to stall?
“Extortion has been legitimized digitally. The Export Processing Terminals now charge for services that are not rendered. They just create process to make money without a real time solution.
On his part, the Administrative Secretary of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Bala Muhammed shed light on the prolonged passage of trucks from Satellite Park to Pre-gate, sometimes taking two or three weeks.
Another critical concern raised by Muhammed was the issue of multiple checkpoints between Pre-gate and port gates. He pointed out that trucks, once released at Pre-gate, often face interceptions by governmental and non-governmental checkpoint operators, leading to additional delays in the transportation process.
The AMATO Scribe urged NPA to stimulate productivity within the terminals to expedite the batching process and address the challenge of trucks lingering between Satellite Park and Pre-gate. He emphasized that the faster the batching process, the quicker the turnaround for trucks.
When contacted, TTP through one of its officials; Nancy Nnamdi affirmed enforcement against trucks stalling at Lagos ports is still in process. She noted that the enforcement team by NPA has expedited the process and it is still ongoing.
