By Uzor Odigbo
There are strong indications that Nigerian trucks are not measuring up with the standards in some neighbouring countries in the sub-region, barely twelve days the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) agreement commenced.
Checks had revealed that Benin Republic and Togo respectively are not comfortable with the conditions of cargo laden trucks from Nigeria.
It was gathered that some of the vehicles are in poor working condition while some breakdown along the Lagos-Abidjan corridors causing undue gridlock for other commuters.
Further checks also have it that trucks laden with made in Nigerian products and owned by Messrs. Dangote Group were not spared over issues of standardisation within Togo and Benin Republic.
While some of manufacturers and shippers are lamenting about the high cost of transportation in the AfCFTA deal, others stressed that authorities in some of the neighbouring countries will be forced to ban Nigerian vehicles from their roads over the rickety nature and failure to comply with safety regulations.
Mr Devakumar Edwin, Dangote’s Group Executive Director, stated that the movement of products via road was expensive within the West African corridors.
Edwin added that the governments of Togo and Benin Republic had complained of the pollution that the trucks brought to the environment as well as the toll on the roads.
“With the success of the Doula plant in Cameroon, the company is already doubling its capacity in Yaoundé and targeting three million tonnes in the country to check competition as well as earn foreign exchange.
“Our desire to increase our investment with the Phase 2 project is based on not only the fast growth rate of the Cameroonian economy but also due to the warm welcome extended to us and the enabling environment created by the government of Cameroon.
“Our choice of Cameroon for this multi-million-dollar investment is quite strategic.
“Cameroon is the largest economy in Central Africa and is well endowed with abundant natural resources, political stability, adequate security and growing infrastructural development,” he said.
On his part, Public Relations Officer, West Africa Road Transport Union (WARTU), Alhaji Nasiru Salami accused drivers of Messrs. Dangote Group of reckless driving thus the breakdown of heavy duty vehicles along the Abidjan-Lagos corridors.
Salami alleged that the neighbouring countries are unsatisfied with the pollution emissions of the some of vehicles belonging to Dangote Group.
He also disclosed that Nigerian truck owners are fond of overloading their vehicles which in turn negates standards of some of the countries
