The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), following complaints of extortion at unapproved checkpoints along the ports’ access roads by port users, is set to list approved checkpoints for Apapa and Tin-Can ports’ access roads.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Lagos, the NPA Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko explained that some checkpoints that are not supposed to interfere with cargo movement are the ones causing issues along the ports’ access roads.
According to the NPA MD, “Even with the deployment of eto, we still have traffic situation along the ports access roads. But we can all agree that the worst of eto is better than the time before eto. The problem is enforcement.
“About a month ago, we signed an agreement with the Lagos State Government. The Lagos State Government is deploying Mobile Courts to the access road locations.
“On a certain weekend, I toured the ports access roads with the two Assistant Inspector General’s (AIG) of Police in charge of Maritime, and what we saw was shocking. We saw checkpoints that are not supposed to be on the port access roads.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Revealed! Details Of South-West APC Leaders Meeting With Presidential Aspirants
- Supreme Court Has Cleared Civil Servants To Participate In Politics, Falana Tells FG
- Battle For New Alaafin Begins As Ruling Houses Insist On Producing Next Oba
- Court Admits More Evidence Against Alleged Fake Army General, Bolarinwa
- I’m Every Man’s Choice Now, My DM Is Crazy —Eniola Badmus
- It Is Now Bye To Decency: Crazy Fashion Trends At Owambe Parties
“But I was really impressed with what the AIG’s did. They practically told some DPOs to go to their offices and pack their things, that they are going to get their redeployment letters.
“We counted and identified the locations where there should be checkpoints. At the end of the day, if there are 60 checkpoints and we want to have 20, where are their locations? So, we are coming up with a signage system that will indicate where we want checkpoints to be along the port access roads.
“We will put signages at those places that we want checkpoints to exist. Any checkpoint outside these places automatically becomes an illegal checkpoint.
“Again, we need to know why these checkpoints exist along the ports’ access roads because it’s not every checkpoint that should be checking eto tickets. There are some checkpoints that are there for the purpose of national security and community policing. Such checkpoints have no business stopping container carrying trucks. They have no business with trucks.”
On training for NJPA workers, the NPA MD explained that he is considering the use of the agency’s simulator building to train the workers.
“We are beginning to have a high number of retiring staff in the NPA and this is creating a knowledge gap in the agency. We need to have our own training institute.
“So, I remembered we renovated our simulator building some years ago in NPA. To reduce cost, we need to have our own training using our own facility. We are almost 4000. If every year, we train a thousand workers in a hotel, it’s going to cost us a lot of money.
“So, we will be inviting you very soon to come and help us commission our simulator building for such training purposes. The simulator building can train almost 400 workers at a go. The facility has 34 bedrooms for users. It also has a kitchen and a canteen.
“We will soon be equipping it with a gym very soon because we want to make it a sustainable place for the training of our staff.”
and then