By Uzor Odigbo
The Apapa chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has harped on the need for the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to monitor barge operational activities effectively, as some are illegally operating on the waterways.
Chairman of the Chapter, Chief Dom Obi Onyeka, who disclosed this during a working visit to the Port Manager, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Lagos Port Operations, (LPC), Mrs Funmilayo Olotu, noted that the emergence of barges to complement road system of transportation would solve the perennial gridlock along the ports corridors but emphasized the need for a well structured operation by the government and the owners of the crafts.
He also attributed the alleged extortion of truckers and stakeholders by security agencies along the corridors as major factor militating against the NPA call up system.
The Chairman lamented that the allege corruption within the truck call up system operated by the agency ,must be tackled by all maritime stakeholders.
Obi urged the NPA Port Manager to take action on the Lilypond Truck Transit Park for the free flow movement of trucks.
Recall that the NPA recently reopened the Lilypond transit park after three months of being shut down as a result of clash between the police and truck drivers over allegation of extortion.
The NPA uses the transit park to operate a manual call up system for trucks going into Apapa port to load cargo.
On her part, the NPA LPC ,Port Manager, Mrs Olotu assured the visiting ANLCA members that the authority has come up with a systematic process that will stop the bad eggs who are destroying the call up system.
Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, a chieftain of the association, Mr. Frank Aliakor said that the association would continue to partner LPC on information sharing on how best the Lilypond Truck Transit Park would perform better .
Aliakor who is the Senior Special Adviser to the Chairman , also stated that barge operations would further ameliorate gridlock on the port corridors
