15/10/2021
FRESH AIR FOR LAGOS GRIDLOCKS AND THE HAULAGE INDUSTRY
In a statement signed by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Spokesman, Olaseni Alakija, the agency revealed that the deployment of the Electronic Call-up System for trucks has so far resolved the endemic Apapa gridlock.
According to the statement, Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko five months after assuming office said that the incremental deployment of the Electronic Call-up infrastructure for cargo trucks (known as “Eto”), launched in February this year has to a large extent resolved the endemic Apapa vehicular gridlock, even as the Authority keeps reviewing and improving the system. Following it's launch by the agency, only 16,000 trucks out of 80,000 trucks that have registered on the Electronic Call-up System, otherwise known as ETO has met the minimum safety standard set by the agency for haulage operations at the ports.
The NPA MD who made this disclosure as a guest on a breakfast programme recently in Lagos, explained that while the Authority is not unmindful of the pains of Apapa residents, what remains is to address the gridlock caused by the failed portion along the Mile 2 to Tin-Can Port road. He insisted that as soon as the entire stretch of the Tin-Can Port highway is completed, the perennial gridlock within Apapa would be completely eliminated. These infrastructure upgrades coupled with the support of the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders meant that the vehicular gridlock along the Ijora – Apapa axis had reduced by over 80 percent and am sure residents of Apapa can attest to this,” he added.
According to him, as part of efforts to kick-off the electronic call-up system, a fully automated transit truck park was established while 29 satellite parks were approved to ensure that trucks coming to do business in the port are properly profiled and verified before accessing the port. Out of the 29 parks, about eight have met the required standards, which include installation of bollards, CCTVs, automated gate systems and relevant IT equipment. There will be continuous improvement of ETO system including the deployment of additional physical and IT infrastructure as well as grant approval for more transit parks to cushion the excruciating pains of truckers he noted.
The Authority had also embarked on what he called ‘operation green’ through which all illegal structures and shanties on port access roads in Apapa were cleared. The move formed part of efforts to free flow of traffic in the area.
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