By Steve Agbota
The Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria (ACTOAN) has commended the Nigerian Shippers Council’s Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) for clampdown on extortion along Lagos port access roads.
The group said has concluded plans to partner with the PSTT to consolidate is achievements.
ACTOAN led by its Chairman, Mr Ridwan Bello, stated this during a working visit to the PSTT office at Nigerian Shippers Council, Apapa Lagos, saying it has flushed out hoodlums disturbing legitimate business owners.
According to him, non -state actors and area boys disturbed the logistics and haulage business, adding that all these are a thing of the past following the launch of the ‘Operation Free the Port Corridor’ by the PSTT.
“We all know that the PSTT has been in the frontline of eliminating sharp corrupt practices along the port corridor and there is nothing we can do than to work with the PSTT.
“Our Modus Operandi is to first sensitise our own members in the major problems we have along the port corridor which are; illegal parking, shunting and not following the single lane policy.
However, Bello informed the PSTT that ACTOAN has set up a task force to complement efforts of its members.
“On 23rd of November, we set up a task force comprising of committee on revenue, enforcement and safety standards. This is why we have come to the PSTT to introduce our committee on enforcement.
“This is to properly look at issues we have on ground as regards extortion, shunting, illegal parking, so that we can have smooth operations in and outside of the port,”
Responding, National Cordinator of Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) Comrade Moses Fadipe warned ACTOAN and its task force to fall in line according to direction of the PSTT, adding that the team would not allow any action that could lead to delay in the movement of trucks in and out of the port.
According to Fadipe, the PSTT was a child of circumstance due to the corruption perception index, which was giving Nigeria a bad image globally.
He said that in year 2020, the Federal Government launched the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM), which gave birth to the PSTT as a monitoring and enforcement body whichs headed by Nigerian Shippers’ Council, supported by Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Independence Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Department of State Services.
While reeling out the achievement of the PSTT so far, Comrade Fadipe said today, shipping line operators, vessel operators can attest to what PSTT has done, the issue of corruption onboard vessels has been brought to the lowest ebb.
“Couple of months ago, Nigeria was adjudged one of the nation’s who have dealth with corruption onboard vessels and this was why an award was given to Nigeria in far away Switzerland at Basel Convention, these are all the efforts of the PSTT.
“Vessels coming into Nigerian ports now spend four hours at the ports instead of ten days previously. Also, the number of containers examined per day by Terminal Operators have increased from 125 to 200 containers,” he said.