By Uzor Odigbo
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) have threatened to withdraw the free buses provided for freight forwarders and licensed Customs agents as part of succour to facilitate ports operations as sit-at-home order lingers.
The agencies also frowned at the misconduct displayed by freight agents flouting the social distancing directive put in place by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus.
A statement on Monday via WhatsApp disclosed that the approved sitting arrangement for the buses remain three persons on each row and 13 passengers per bus.
The two Ministry of Transportation agencies also frowned at freight agents misconduct for disrespecting drivers of the buses, urging the practitioners to be guided accordingly during the trip to and fro the Lagos seaports.
The government agencies further appealed to the practitioners to maintain order, while boarding the vehicles at each bus stop.
The statement also warned the freight agents to conduct themselves in order not to give room for law enforcement agencies to impound the buses on the highways.
The statement sent to some maritime WhatsApp platforms by the President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and a Council board member of CRFFN, Chief Increase Uche
reads:
“SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE, URGENT INFORMATION:
“THE ATTENTION OF THE NSC/CRFFN HAS BEEN DRAWN TO THE UNFORTUNATE ABUSE OF THE SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE PROVIDED TO EASE THE MOVEMENT OF THE FREIGHT FORWARDERS AND OTHER PORT USERS TO THE SEAPORT. SOME OF
THE VIOLATIONS INCLUDE:
“1. MOLESTATION OF THE DRIVERS.
“2. NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOCIAL DISTANCING DIRECTIVES.
“3. OVER LOADING/CROWDING OF THE BUSES BEYOND CAPACITY BY FREIGHT FORWARDERS.
“4. REFUSAL TO BE ORDERLY WHEN BOARDING THE BUS. THE ABOVE ABUSES ARE CAPABLE OF COMPROMISING THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO CURTAIL FURTHER SPREAD OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC.
“CONSEQUENTLY, THE NSC/CRFFN HEREBY WARN VIOLATORS OF THESE RULES TO DESIST HENCEFORTH OR THE BUSES WITHDRAWN TO AVOID GIVING ROOM TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO IMPOUND THE BUSES.
“THE APPROVED SITTING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE BUSES IS 3 PASSENGERS ON EACH ROW AND A TOTAL OF 17 PASSENGERS PER BUS INCLUDING THE POLICEMAN WHO ESCORTS THE BUS.
“THE ABOVE SAFETY REGULATIONS SHALL BE THE STANDARD RULE FOR THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS SERVICE.
PLEASE BE GUIDED ACCORDINGLY.
