Story by Dili Utomi.
A new unit of the foremost Freight Forwarding association in Nigeria, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has commended the Management of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and the Truck Transit Park (TTP) Nigeria Ltd for their unrelenting, concerted and sustained efforts in ensuring that there is seamless movement of Cargoes in and out of the Ports in Lagos.
A statement signed by Dr Arthur Igwilo, Chairman Special Fact Finding Committee, NAGAFF Headquarters says that they extol the pragmatism of NPA/TTP on the improved management of traffic along the port corridors lately .
A part of the statement reads “We recall the ugly traffic experienced by Importers/Exporters, Freight Forwarders and Truckers during the last quarter of 2023. It became literally impossible to truck-in to discharge Export laden containers and to evacuate Import-laden containers.This hydra-headed traffic problem Increased cost of transportation by over 500% outside other extraneous attendant costs”.
The NAGAFF Committee therefore calls on NPA Management to approve the quick implementation of E-Tag for Apapa and Tincan ports and also to approve the introduction of Electronic Call-up Interchange Transaction Number (EITN).
The Association also calls on Truckers and Freight Forwarders to cooperate with NPA/TTP to ensure quality service delivery in line with International best practices in 2024.
NAGAFF is also calling on Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu being the Chief Security Officer to call on security Agencies and non-state actors operating in Lagos to stop the extortion of Cargo-laden trucks drivers accessing the ports or exiting the ports as this will further promote trade facilitation and reduce traffic gridlock from Lagos roads especially along the port corridors.
It will be recalled that the unpopular Apapa traffick gridlock reared its ugly face again just before December 2023 and a whole lot of allegations of internal sabotage within and without the ranks of the NPA had been attributed to it then, but the Authority seems to have got its act right lately.
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