Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — In a bid to improve traffic management along the roads leading to the Lagos Port Complex, LPC, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, had temporarily stopped the release of flatbed trucks from Satellite truck parks to Pre-gate from entering various terminals inside the LPC, a development that could worsened the port congestion currently being experienced.
In a notice to truck drivers, owners and other stakeholders, the management of Truck Transit Parks, TTP, on behalf of NPA said that the release of trucks from the pre-gates will be made to match truck admittance of the various terminals.
According to the notice, some level of delays in the release of trucks from the satellite parks to the pre-gates is anticipated.
Part of the notice reads: “Following the resolution of the Ero Call up Project Implementation Committe, PIC on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, around the need for improvement in traffic management along the LPC road corridor the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has directed that the process for the release of flatbed trucks from Satellite parks to the pre-gates to LPC be halted temporarily.
“Henceforth, the release from Satellite truck parks to the pre-gates would be revised to dynamically match the demonstrated truck admittance by the respective terminals.
“The directive is expected to kick off immediate effect, from Sunday, 5th of November 2023 and hence some level of delays in the release of trucks from Satellite parks to the pre-gates should be anticipated and managed accordingly.
“All stakeholders and the entire trucking community are to take note of this change and ensure proper consideration is carried out ahead of subsequent bookings.”
Meanwhile, some truck drivers are protesting these new changes saying that it is not fair for them to be charged twice for the fault of TTP.
How can we pay for inefficiency of the managers of the traffic situation around the port area. They queried.
Speaking on the development, an official of TTP, Mr. Irabor Akomonan said the satellite truck parks remain suspended from the call up system until the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA says otherwise.
