Business

RTEAN Decries Poor Access Roads …Loses 400 Trucks In One Year

Published

9 years ago

May 8, 2017

The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has decried the poor state of port access roads in the country, saying members lost over 400 trucks in Apapa and Tincan Island ports axis in the last one year alone .

He added that some of the truckers have sold off their trucks as scraps due to lack of job and poor port access roads.

Lagos State chairman of RTEAN, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, stated this at the monthly news events of the Association of Maritime Journalist of Nigeria (AMJON), tagged monthly round table held in Lagos, recently.

Muhammed who was represented at the event by the State Public Relations Officer, Comrade Abayomi Afini, said that members plying their trade in the ports are leaving the business in droves because it is becoming increasingly unprofitable due to the very poor state of ports access roads and the downturn in the Nigerian economy which has, according to him, cut imports coming into the country through the seaports by about half.

He lamented that while the poor port access roads is damaging the vehicles daily, cost of acquiring new trucks has doubled even as cost of spare-parts has gone up by over 50 percent in the last one years.

Muhammed said, in Tincan and Apapa alone, I can count about 40 owners that are no more in business. I am talking of members that have about 10 to 15 trucks each.

“Our very bad situation is made worse by the fact that instead of the cost of freight going up following the rising cost of business, cost of freight is rather falling.

In 2007, for instance, we used to charge N160,000 for a 40 feet container to Ikeja, but today we charge N60,000 for the same 40 feet container to Ikeja because even as the cost of doing the business is very high, there is no business either because of government policies that have dried up imports to Nigeria,” he said.

He lamented that members of the Association are now selling their trucks and going into Commercial Bus Transportation Business.

“Infact it is more profitable to operate Keke Napep than to own a truck today in Nigeria”, he added.

Mohammed also said that the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) deceived its members to subscribe to the N10,000 payments for stickers it introduced last year as a measure for minimum truck standardization in the port.

He added that lack of unity among the various Truck Owners Associations in the port contributed to NPA’s success in collecting the fee for the strckers even as he blamed the government for not sticking to the two recognized associations notable in the transport sector

He said, “Last year, NPA came up with the issues of stickers that has been there for six years but because there are many associations in the ports, that is why we have the problems we have today.

“If government has been dealing with the two major Associations, that is the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and RTEAN, there wouldn’t have been the problems we have today in the ports. These two bodies are supposed to take care of all transport problems in the country; but today, we have so many associations.

“On the issue of the stickers we had several meetings with the MD and the General Manager, Western port of NPA, they told us that immediately we are able to pay the money, extortion would stopped at the gate but that has not stop”, he said.

Earlier, the Public Relations Officer had disclosed that the association has an internal standard assurance mechanism to make sure that members’ trucks met the required standard.

He said that the Association had always ensured that its members maintain their trucks and to make sure they are in good shape and they are complying with to the directive”.

He however denied the allegation that members of the association park their trucks indiscriminately on the roads thereby causing traffic gridlock, saying the reason why trucks litter the roads is because the terminal operators have failed to produce truck bays as well as the failure of the government to provide parking lot for trucks coming into the ports.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic – Lagos

Business

Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.

The first incident occurred along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.

In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.

According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.

Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.

The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.

“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.

The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.

The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.

The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.

Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent loss of lives and environmental damage.

Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Enoch Epelle

Business

Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.

Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.

The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.

The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.

Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.

He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.

According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.

He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.

The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

Published

3 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos