Stakeholders Groan As Chaos Returns To Port Roads

Truck owners last week went on strike and called for the withdrawal of the military from the roads after complaints of widespread brutality and extortion.

Maritime stakeholders have called for the return of navy call-up system as chaos returns to port access roads.

The strike which lasted for six days led to over 6,600 containers getting trapped at the seaports of Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports’ complex. However, since the withdrawal of the call-up system, chaos has returned to the access roads with commuters finding it increasingly difficult to access the seaports.

Also, long stretch of traffic was experienced on the roads leading to the ports. While the traffic had gotten to Iyana-Isolo on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, commuters using Western Avenue have had to trek long distance to get to their respective offices. According to terminal operators, the road was in total chaos as no one was handling the traffic system.

A manager who craved anonymity suggested the return of the navy to enforce the call-up system but warned against extortion. He disclosed that when the naval officers were controlling the traffic without extorting the drivers it was going on well until extortion came in.

“When navy were controlling the traffic without extortion, it was all fine but until they introduced extortion then truck drivers called for their withdrawal. But we can all see that we are in chaos, everywhere is blocked,” he lamented.

Also speaking to LEADERSHIP, national publicity secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Joe Sanni, bemoaned the withdrawal of military from managing the traffic saying they were blackmailed out of the road.

Sanni, who called for the return of the Nigerian Navy said as a regimented service they cherish discipline.

He said, “The military were blackmailed and they felt very bad about it. You know there are a regimented service and they cherish discipline though they are all Nigerians no doubt but to go out and allege that they are extorting people, if it were you, what would you have done? Remain?” he asked rhetorically.

“The truth is that the navy on their own said they are no more interested in managing the traffic and we can see that NPA MD Hadiza Bala Usman tried, she has used her connection in the presidency to get the navy on the road and they did a fantastic job but I know she is helpless now because of the name they gave these people,” he added.