The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has assured port workers and other stakeholders of its resolve to tackle congestion and rent seeking on port access road in Lagos with the deployment of an electronic-call up system for trucks in January 2021.
The assurance is coming on the heels of the suspension of a planned strike action by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
On Tuesday, MWUN called off its planned three-day strike over the deplorable state of the access roads to Tin Can Island port.
NPA, in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting with MWUN officials on Tuesday, also pledged to work with the Lagos State Government to provide truck holding bays as part of the implementation of the e-call up system.
“In the interim, management is liaising with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the immediate commencement of remedial works on failed portions of the port access road.
“Management is partnering with the Lagos State Government to deploy law enforcement officers for the maintenance of sanity along the port logistic ring.
“Management reiterated the directive to all shipping companies to ensure that the size of their respective empty container holding bay is commensurate with the volume of containers they bring into the ports, in line with NPA policy on empty containers. Failure to adhere to this will attract sanctions.
“Shipping companies are to be responsible for the movement of empty containers from their holding bays to the port. Consignees are to drop empty boxes at the designated empty container holding bays.
“Failure of shipping companies to remove empty containers at the holding bay will attract sanctions.
“Management therefore calls on all stakeholders and port users to go about their businesses as ports operations will continue unhindered,” the communiqué stated.