Trucks ban: Clearing agents threaten to shut Lagos ports

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Thursday threatened to shut down the Lagos ports over restriction order on movement of trucks.

This is contained in a statement made available to reporters by Kayode Farinto, national publicity secretary of the association.

The statement said the association might have no option than to collaborate with trailers drivers, ask its members to withdraw their services and shut down the ports.

“This is pending when the Lagos state government will change the its policy on this or provide an alternative measure,” the statement read.

The statement said ANLCA frowned at the restriction order placed on movement of trucks within the Lagos metropolis between 6 am and 9 pm.

The association described the restriction as counter-productive, adding that it had been impacting negatively on the economy.

“Within these few days, the man-hour loss by Shippers and Customs brokers cannot be replaced,” the statement read.

“We are of the opinion that the Lagos state government would have been magnanimous enough to assist in providing a temporary holding bay for trucks transporting goods from ports to different destinations.

“Nigerian ports being the gateway of the nation’s economy must be guarded jealously. The negligence of some reckless drivers must also be taken into consideration too.”

In solidarity with the truck owners association, ANCLA urged Akinwumni Ambode, governor of the state, to give the decision a second thought.

Following repeated truck accidents resulting to loss of lives and property, the government decided to enforce the road traffic law 2012 restricting the movements of trailers and long vehicles from plying the metropolis between 6am and 9pm.