Rickety and sub-standard trucks plying the nation’s premiere port, the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, may be barred from entering the facility from next year.
Port Manager of LPC, Mr. Nasir Anas Mohammed, gave indication to this effect yesterday when he led workers and top management staff to clean up the port environment from the front of the gate to Eleganza plaza located about 300 metres away on Wharf Road.
The clean up exercise, which lasted for over three hours, was part of the Customer Service Week 2013 celebration.
Mohammed also disclosed that the Port management was concerned about indiscriminate parking of trucks on the port access roads.
He said the private sector is will be involved in finding lasting solution to the twin problem.
“We are engaging some private partners who are going to bring in brand new trucks. They will operate a consolidated truck management system whereby only these new trucks will have access to the ports. This will also bring about peace of mind on the part of shippers concerning their cargoes. This will also erase the issue of traffic bottlenecks that usually arise due to bad and old trucks coming into the ports.
“Our safety department has been discussing with the truck drivers on the minimum safety standard of the type of trucks that should come into the ports. We want to make them see that it is equally for their own good,” he stated.
He stated that the new trucks will become operational within the next one year.
“We are trying to ensure that the various truck associations come together and consolidate to form one or two or three holding companies so that they can source these vehicles that are being provided by the private companies.
“Because when they consolidate, it will be easier for them to get loans or support from other agencies of government which helps them to dispose the rickety and old trucks they are currently using,” the Port Manager added.
Mohammed said that the clean up exercise was part of the port’s corporate social responsibility and a way of “giving back to the community.”
“We are looking beyond just observing this event on an annual basis. We want to see how we can add value to the community. The Apapa Local Government is very disposed towards this arrangement and they are really encouraging us. We are observing this year’s programme together,” the Port Manager explained to journalists who turned out to observe the environmental sanitation exercise.
Events marking the Customer Service Week 2013 started on Monday when the Port Manager had breakfast meeting with his staff and will end today with a gala night/award.
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