The recent decongestion exercise along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, especially at the port entrances, has become a gold mine as security operatives deployed to monitor compliance of truck owners to traffic rules have turned it to a money making venture, raking in as much as N5 million daily to private coffers.
Investigations revealed that the traffic gridlock has returned as the security and traffic officials have allegedly introduced N5, 000 illegal toll fees for trucks at both the first and second gates of the Tin Can Island Port complex, and allow them to park indiscriminately, thereby causing serious traffic jam for hours and hardship for commuters using the road.
Investigations also showed that for an express access into the port, trucks pay as much as N10, 000 toll fee, so as to avoid staying on the usually long queues.
Confirming this development,, the President of the Association of Maritime Owners/Truck Drivers (AMATO) Mr. Remi Ogungbemi called it an ‘handshake’ from the truck drivers to the security agencies at the port before gaining access.
According to him, “All I can say is that every truck entering the port both Apapa and Tin – Can usually have handshake with various security agencies as no truck can enter the port without having a handshake.”
Ogungbemi said that efforts are on-going at restoring professionalism among the truckers as an individual has offered a truck terminal for the truckers at trade fair complex, stating that the inhuman attitude and stress the truck drivers go through will soon be a thing of the past.
“An individual has provided a place that will serve as a truck terminal in the Trade Fair complex along Badagry which will commence fully soon,” he said..
Reacting to the allegations, the Port Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mike Njoku denied the involvement of his officers, saying ‘there is no iota of truth in it but my officers have been deployed to the route.’
On his part, the Public Relations Officer of the Tin – Can Island Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Chris Osunkwo said there is no truth in it.
When the road was decongested last May, following a four-day ultimatum by the Lagos State Government to tanker and trailer drivers as well as owners of vehicles parked illegally along the axis to remove them from road side or face the wrath of the law, only trucks which were cleared to deliver empty container at the port where permitted to approach the port access gate, thereby creating no room for indiscriminate parking that causes obstruction to other motorists.
The enforcement team from both the state and federal governments had also demolished illegal structures, shops, some buildings within the Apapa area, including those under the Liverpool Bridge, Marine Beach, as well as along the headquarters of the Western Naval Command.
The Police and military men were led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, and the Lagos State Task Force Chairman, Bayo Sulaimon.
Sulaimon had said that the exercise would be an ongoing process, saying the main objective was to restore Apapa to its former glory.
General Manager of LASTMA, Babatunde Edu, had confirmed that about 60 trucks were towed in the exercise that would be on a continuous basis to wade off recalcitrant drivers.
By Folashade Alli, Lagos