The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered the removal of haulage trucks from the port access roads in Lagos state. The directive was passed to the truck owners through the Federal ministry of Transport.
This action is due to the ultimatum given to the country by the Apapa United States Coast Guard over the need to comply with the International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) Facility Code.
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) directed its members to ensure compliance with the directive.
The chairman of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, told reporters yesterday that the group has instructed truck owners to take advantage of the newly acquired land at the Trade Fair Complex along Badagry expressway to relocate their trucks.
“There is a marching order that they want all the trucks evacuated from the roads, individual members having trucks that liter the roads both at Tincan and Apapa port should go to the Trade Fair Complex to park.
“We don’t want a situation where they will bring black maria, or shooting on sight, we don’t want that to happen, we are human beings that can communicate and can be communicated to, we will on our own tell our members to start moving these trucks.”
General Secretary of AMATO, Mr. Chiaka Nwogu, said that the order is not from the association rather from the Federal Government and he considers it a welcome idea because it will further portray Nigeria to the US Coast Guard and the world as a compliant nation.
Mr Nwogu said the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were notified of a general inspection to take place by weekend and that the port access roads must be rid of hindrances.
“Nigeria is about to go into another round of test. By Saturday, when they come to inspect, we want to pass the test. If we fail, it is going to affect everybody, if the ships don’t come into our ports, we will not have anything to carry” Nwogu said.