The Management of APM Terminals has said that it is not responsible for controlling traffic in Apapa and hence cannot be held liable for the gridlock in the area.
The company said that like other stakeholders, it is a victim of the menacing Apapa gridlock.
Speaking on Wednesday against the background of a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) asking it to rid the port access road of trucks bearing empty containers, APM Terminals said it neither controls traffic on the road nor owns the trucks or empty containers on the road.
APM Terminals said its employees, service providers, contractors and customers have to go through the harrowing traffic experience everyday, like every other person.
“We are aware APM Terminals is being accused as the cause of the traffic gridlock in the Apapa area and we would like to set the record straight.
“APM Terminals Apapa is as much of a victim of the traffic gridlock as everyone else. Our employees, service providers, contractors and customers have to go through the harrowing traffic experience everyday.
“These employees are the ones that operate the equipment that service the trucks and would not by any means delay or stop servicing trucks unnecessarily as it would equate to ‘shooting ourselves in the foot’,” the company said in a statement signed by its General Manager Communications, Augustine Fischer.
Several stakeholders have blamed the traffic gridlock on bad roads, poor traffic management, lack of truck parks and the lack of holding bays for empty containers by shipping companies.
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