The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has threatened to order its members to withdraw their services from the road if government fails to take urgent steps towards fixing the dilapidated port access road.
President of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi told SHIPS & PORTS DAILY yesterday that the association has given the government up till August 26 to meet its demand without which it would embark on strike.
He said the poor state of the roads at the Tin Can and Apapa axis is damaging their trucks and his members will no longer fold their arms and watch the situation any longer.
“As from 26th August 2015, we will withdraw our trucks from the roads in protest against the deplorable condition of Tin Can and Apapa roads if the roads are not repaired on or before then. We are losing our trucks, lest we lose live.
“There are agencies that are in charge of the maintenance of the roads – local, state or federal government. We just want them to fix the road. The roads are destroying our vehicles on a daily basis and we don’t want to wait until it starts claiming lives,” he said.
Ogungbemi maintained that the ultimatum should not be seen as an empty threat as the association is bent on carrying it out if there are no signs that the government is ready to commence work on the road.
“If we see any sign that they have started to bring granites and pouring sand then we will know they are ready for work. How can the road leading to a port be like that?” he asked.
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