The Nigerian Ports Authority has moved staff involved in extortion at Apapa ports out of the port area.
The Acting Managing Director, Mr Muhammad Bello-Koko, said this when he paid a working visit to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Marina.
He reiterated that NPA would further review the punishment for those found wanting.
“We, at the NPA, have resolved to take the right punitive measures against any of our staff involved in this. We have moved some of them out of port locations, and we will do further reviews; so that whoever is involved would be appropriately sanctioned.”
Bello-Koko lamented that not less than 30 toll sprang up around the Apapa and Tin Can ports, where truck drivers were extorted before they were passed.
“Many checkpoints have been created. We believe there are over 30 within the Apapa and Tin Can ports axis and we believe that this is the major cause of delays and a whole lot of problems. It is among the concerns we raised at our meeting with the governor,” he said.
He acknowledged the Lagos State Government as a close partner, especially when it comes to enforcement, in terms of providing security operatives and monitoring of the Eto call-up system.
The MD, however, stressed the need to further strengthen that collaboration.
In his speech, Sanwo-Olu assured that the state would work closely with the NPA to ensure the success of Eto for the benefit of the nation’s economy benefits.
He called on all port users to be alert to their responsibilities to end the Apapa gridlock.
He said there was need for port service providers, security agencies and NPA to adhere to their Standard Operating Procedures as well as invest in the needed infrastructure which would galvanise the Eto system to heightened performance.
He assured that Lagos would begin to engage petroleum tanker drivers, tank farm owners and other unions to ensure that they are factored into the Eto call-up system.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the poor state of the Sunrise Bus-stop corridor has been identified as the major cause of the traffic congestion into the Tin Can Island Port, stressing the need for the contractors to speed up work around that area.
