Written by: Our Reporter
The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has condemned in strong terms the continuous extortion of their members by officials of the Nigeria Ports Authority and Nigeria Police deployed to the Port.
Speaking to Reporters recently, the Task Force chairman of NARTO, Prince Hassan Adekoya threatened to down tools if the Buhari-led government does not come out to address the issues and put an end to the extortions.
Adekoya while narrating their ordeal to Reporters explained that Officers of Nigerian Navy were initially in charge until a Presidential task force headed by Kayode Opeifa was introduced.
He stated that the introduction of the Presidential task force did not help matters as extortions of her members continued unabated leading to the Electronic Call Up System in collaboration with the Lagos State Govt.
Adekoya noted that the Electronic Call Up System has made life unbearable for them as truck owners are made to pay N30,000 and above in order to access the Port to drop empty containers.
“They also promised that we were going to access the ports through the Electronic call up System saying we will not pay more than N10,000 to register on the platform which we all accepted but today we are made to pay more than N30,000 on the same platform to access the Ports” he stated.
“It does not end there, we still need about N100,000 and above to access the port due to the excessive extortion from within and outside the ports. We are sick and tired of this whole thing” he said.
While calling on Government to intervene, Adekoya said “We want Government to re-interface into the system for a final solution. We know that Nigeria Ports Authority has no solution to the problem”
Also speaking on the same issue, the 26th Vice Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN Comrade Adeyemi Adeola said her members are equally tired of the high extortions of its members within and outside the Port.
Adeola stated that the attention of Management of the Port has been called with a view to resolving issues of extortion but noted that nothing has been achieved.
“To load and drop an empty container, you have to spend as much as N45,000 even with your electronic call up slip. We are tired of this, the industry is tired of this and even the stakeholders are also tired of the issue of extortion” he said.
“We want to stop this extortion. We say No to extortion. We want the Lagos State Govt, the Ministry of Transport, the Presidency to wade into this issue and call the attention of Management of NPA to order so that we can work together” he said.
As at the time of this report, Management of NPA have not responded to Enquiries made by our correspondent.
