The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) who has sealed a partnership deal to track the activities of truckers servicing seaports with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the extension from the earlier date of March 1.
NPA and FRSC had on February 9, 2017 signed a memorandum of understanding to enforce truck standards at the nation’s ports with effect from March 1, 2017.
The extension was to allow truck owners to improve the standard of their trucks in the ports.
The extension may have been in consideration of appeals made by the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) who had met with representatives of the FRSC last week to demand more time to phase out the rickety trucks.
AMATO before the extension request had faulted the policy on the grounds that it will further increase spending by truck owners as Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) undertake similar duties.
According to the Chairman of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, the corps officers promised taking truck owners’ complaints to the headquarters of the FRSC for consideration but no official communication has been received from the corps.
Explaining issues during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the FRSC in Lagos, Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Bala Usman said the agency has the responsibility to protect lives and property of all stakeholders accessing its services by ensuring that all articulated vehicles and trucks which on daily basis freight containers and assorted bulk cargoes to different parts of the country meet the required minimum safety standards.
“Apapa for example, is home to Nigeria’s two foremost ports which are being managed by nine terminal operators. Between the two ports, more than 65 per cent of dry cargoes and about 90 per cent of the nation’s liquid (petroleum products) are handled,” she said.
She said NPA is collaborating with FRSC and other safety enforcement agencies to achieve safety standard for trucks accessing the ports by adopting the Road Traffic Safety Standardisation Scheme, which includes regular inspection and certification.
