THE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is to sanction erring shipping companies and terminal operators that fail to comply with an agreement on the use of holding bays.

The Managing Director, NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman made this known on Thursday in Lagos.

According to her, the agreement, which was reached in November, 2017 between the shipping companies, terminal operators and the NPA, is to provide holding bays for their trucks and containers through the newly- adopted call-up system.

“These were part of the resolutions adopted at the end of two meetings between the Managing Director NPA and the leadership of truck drivers and Maritime Workers Union in response to recent protests by truck drivers at the Lagos Port Complex and Tin- Can Island Port.

“We had a meeting on 11th July, 2018, and informed the operators that the Authority had launched an investigation into the level of compliance or non-compliance with the agreements reached between the Authority, shipping companies and terminal operators.

“Any company found to have contravened this agreement will be sanctioned, ” Usman said in a statement signed by the Assistant Spokesman for NPA, Malam Isa Suwaid.

On the newly adopted call-up system for trucks accessing the port, Usman explained that the authority had consulted widely with all stakeholders before the introduction of the system.

She said that the system had proved to be the most effective way of managing traffic in the Apapa axis till date.

Commenting on complaints of extortion by some security agencies, the managing director assured that the Authority would investigate the allegation and culprits would be made to face the appropriate provision of the law.

The managing director said that the meeting between the NPA management and the union leadership was in furtherance of getting amicable solution to issues arising from the operation of the call-up system as part of the Authority’s Traffic Management Strategy. (NAN)

– Jul. 12, 2018 @ 19:09 GMT |