Truck owners: We’ll support NPA’s e-call up system with everything — except our lives

Truck owners have vouched to support the electronic call-up system recently introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Remi Ogungbemi, national president of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), told NAN on Tuesday that the electronic method of admitting trucks to the ports is the best way to go.

“E-call up system of admitting trucks into the terminal is the best way to go. It is what I had been clamouring for, ” he said.

“We so much applaud this new system by NPA, and we are giving everything, except our lives, to support the system to work.

“The call-up system is one that will not have human interference. This is because favouritism, extortion, corruption and bribery will continue to exist if we allow human interference.”

On his part, Abdullahi Mohammed-Inunwa, Lagos state vice chairman, dry cargo sector of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), urged the NPA to integrate satellite truck parks in its operations to increase efficiency.

According to him, members of the association used satellite parks to harbour their trucks before securing approval to access Lilypond and Tincan truck parks.

He expressed hope that the electronic call-up system would tackle challenges encountered in the ports.

“We believe that, if well managed and sustained, it will eradicate all the bottlenecks along the port corridors, improve on the ease of doing business and restore our ports’ lost glory,” he said.

The NPA commenced the electronic call-up system to control the movement of trucks in and out of Lagos seaports on February 27.

The new system is based on a first-come-first-served basis.

To ensure compliance, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the government will deploy towing vehicles to impound trucks parked illegally around the ports corridor.