Five months after the launch of the e- call up system, the long queues at the Apapa Ports have not disappeared and it will require the corporation of stakeholders to function adequately, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority.
The acting Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, revealed that it is not possible for the call up system dubbed the ‘Eto’ app to work without the corporation of relevant stakeholders.
He disclosed this during a virtual meeting titled, “Apapa Gridlock: Accelerating Implementation of E-call Up Policy” organised by Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Bello-Koko said, “The e-call up system is hinged on three components namely; Physical Infrastructure, Information Technology and Stakeholders collaboration.
“There are also hinderances to accelerating the implementation. The e-call up system like any other novel project has its teething problems and the problems faced daily by truckers require the intervention of Lagos State Government, Messrs. Truck Transit Park Limited and Nigerian Ports Authority.”
The former MD of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, had introduced the Eto-call up system to ease the congestion at the ports and off-dock terminals at the country’s busiest port.
Usman had dubbed it a ‘game changer’ after it worked a few weeks after it was launched.
But the activities of stakeholders with vested interest have frustrated the process as truck owners allegedly clash with Lagos State agencies and the NPA security staff.
There are also issues of forgery of tickets, selling of tags to driver by corrupt officials and cases of extortion.
The President of the Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, said during the virtual meeting that the government needs to introduce sanctions for defaulters as part of the process of easing the heavy congestions at the ports.
He said, “As a Chamber, we suggest and encourage a sustained and expanded collaboration between the Port Authority and the Lagos state government to dismantle the forces behind the incessant gridlock at the Apapa port.
” There is need for the government to introduce sanctions in the enforcement process. Multiple agencies operating at the port also needs to harmonize their operations to reduce the current hardship in the clearance of goods at ports.”
