Truck drivers have seemingly defied Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vacation order, leading to a virtual shutdown of the Oshodi-Apapa expressway and causing considerable distress for both motorists and residents.
Despite the initial success of the Lagos State’s zero-tolerance policy on indiscriminate parking by truck drivers in the Apapa axis, a noticeable breakdown in traffic flow has occurred along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway and inward port access roads over the past three days.
Contrary to the Sanwo-Olu’s directives, a severe gridlock was observed on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway between Second Rainbow and Mile 2 yesterday.
Additionally, heavy-duty vehicle drivers have shifted to inner roads like Kirikiri Avenue, where they are parking without regard for regulations.
Surprisingly, the newly established Special Joint Traffic Team, tasked with managing traffic following Governor Sanwo-Olu’s directive, and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were conspicuously absent as of 5 pm yesterday.
Efforts to obtain comments from Mr. Sola Giwa, the special adviser on Transportation to the Governor, and Bolaji Oreagba, general manager of LASTMA, proved unsuccessful as of press time.
Those who work and live or have one form of business transaction or the other in the axis had harrowing experiences driving through the road.
Reports suggest a resurgence of impunity and corruption in the administration of the Electronic Call-Up System (Eto) for trucks by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and its technical partner, Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP).
Freight forwarders at Lagos Ports have raised concerns about the abuse of the Eto system, alleging that it is now being hoarded and sold for exorbitant amounts, reaching as high as N150,000, compared to its initial cost of N27,000.
The NPA recently temporarily suspended the release of flatbed trucks from Satellite truck parks to Pre-gate, exacerbating the challenges faced by truck drivers. Freight forwarders have reported a spike in haulage prices, with trucking costs escalating from N400,000 to between N800,000 and N1.2 million.
The Chairman of the Lilypond Export Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Femi Olabanji, lamented the impact of corruption on the system, emphasizing the need for government intervention to prevent a crisis.
His words: “Right now, trucks can no longer enter the terminal because the TTP and NPA would tell you that the portal is full. People are now going through the expressway directly into the port. This is a practice that has since been stopped through the introduction of the Call up system.
“Today, people are buying the Call up for as much as N150,000 from TTP for the main truck park.
“We are begging the Sanwo-Olu’s government to look into this problem, we believe that NPA officials and TTP are the ones behind this corruption, without the backing of port officials, the Call up system which we are doing for N27,000 cannot be sold for N150,000.
“Meanwhile, demurrage on a 40ft container at APM Terminal is N60,000 per day, while 20ft container demurrage is N45,000. Before now, we were paying N15,000 as terminal charges before it suddenly increased.
“These cabals would pass their trucks at night between 8pm till early in the morning.
“After buying the Call up for N150,000, you would use N30,000 to pass the truck into the port, sometimes, you can spend N200,000 before entering the port. This has taken away the whole gains of achievements recorded before.
“Now there is a hike in haulage price because there are only special trucks that can go into the port. To take cargo from the port is now N800,000 upwards.” He said.
In response, the Truck Transit Park and truckers represented by the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Association (COMTUA) have attributed the gridlock’s resurgence to the failure of the Eto system, lack of enforcement by the Lagos State Government’s enforcement team, and the exclusion of tankers from the call-up system.
COMTUA’s President, Yinka Aroyewun, stated that the e-call up system has crashed, highlighting disorganized operations among tanker drivers and operators as contributing factors.
Aroyewun also accused the enforcement team of colluding with hoodlums to extort truckers, further complicating the situation.
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According to him, “The activities of hoodlums, the crashed e-call up system, disorganized operation of tanker drivers and tank farm operators are the cause of the return of the gridlock.” #Sanwo-Olu’s