Recently, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) introduced an app called Eto for truck drivers to book their access into the port. The app is part of the new electronic call-up system for trucks introduced by NPA to reduce congestion on the port access roads.
Ships & Ports Toyin Amao hits the road to ask port truck drivers if they are aware of the app and how to use it to book their turns into the port. The answers are revealing.
I hope the Eto App will be fast to avoid unpleasant issues from security agencies embarrassing us on the road and extorting us. Since it involves the use of technology, it should be made fast and accessible for some illiterate among us. I would also urge the government to make sure the application is updated frequently in order not to put the truckers on hold there by delaying them unnecessarily at the park.
I don’t know what the Eto App is all about because my boss did not tell me about it and I have not heard about it from other truck drivers. NPA did not create awareness of it. I guess that is why I and most of us here do not know about it. I know the authority is trying to find a way to ease gridlock because it is causing a lot of havoc on the road.
I have heard of it and I hope this is not another method of NPA trying to extort money from us. I remember the security agencies asked to ensure orderliness into the port were collecting bribes everyday from us on the road and despite that we use days and weeks on the road and getting into the port is to no avail. If NPA means well for us, there should be orderliness in the use of the Eto App and thorough guidelines should be adhered to so that the use of the app can be effective.
It is a good development only if it can be monitored properly by the authority in charge. We know the way this online thing works; someone has to be monitoring it 24 hours every day to avoid disruptions like network problems. I hope the implementation will give us the outcome the government wants and also I believe it will make security agencies stop extorting us.
I do not believe the use of the Eto App will help ease gridlock on the access road to the port rather the authorities involved should work on the road because the road is very bad and nothing has been done about it for years. If our roads are good, there will be no congestion on the road because there will be easy access into the port and also if the trucks in the port are attended to on time, they will come out on time. The government authorities need to monitor the usage of anything put in place to ease gridlock and congestion in the port.
It is a good one provided it is being monitored because NPA needs to put everything in place to ensure that the reason why the e-call up system is put in place is not put to waste. We all know the way Nigerians are with the use of things and how we are unable to maintain them. Also, I hope security agencies will not continue extorting from us after the use of the app is implemented.
I have not heard of this application at all, nor have I been told about it. I am an illiterate, so tell me how do I make use of the app or know how to operate it. I do not think this is the way forward. Rather, the fixing of the road should be the main focus by the government and not wasting money on building an app which will eventually be mismanaged by some cabals of people who will siphoned the revenue gotten from it.
I have heard of the Eto app and I must say it is a good initiative. Hopefully it will bring an end to the congestion on the road and it will limit the extortion of money by security officials from us. I know it will not be free to access but I want to plead with the government agency to make it affordable and hope with this, containers will not be delayed at the port.
I do not think this Eto is the solution to the congestion at the port. What is important is that good roads should be put in place for the free movement of trucks and tankers on the port access road to avoid gridlock. This application requires a lot of commitment; I hope the agency will get professionals to be able to handle it properly to be effective enough for the use of the service it is meant for.
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