The Tin can Island Port in Lagos, has continued to subject commuters approaching the port to harrowing experience, as unofficial toll gate mounted by security agents at the port has caused much traffic jam arising there from, and has extended far into the Apapa Oshodi expressway.
It was gathered that the toll collection is a joint effort of the officials of the Lagos Port Access route Monitoring Unit (LAPAMU), comprising of the Nigerian Navy, Port Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) security.
Though, the traffic situation has persisted for over a long period. It seems that concerned authorities are not bothered despite the economic demurrage that importers incur as a result of this on daily basis.
It was gathered recently that the NPA management threatened to sanction any security officer found collecting illegal toll from truck drivers at the Tin Can Island port gate, yet nothing had been done to enforce the directive.
Truck drivers were forced to pay N1,000 to the security officers to allow them park in two rolls on the road, which has led to the blocking of the free-flow of traffic.
The illegal parking of trucks it was gathered, have made life unbearable for both motorists, importers and the entire business community in Apapa and Tin Can.
Mr. Henry Cline, the port manager, has said that the port’s authority would not fail to sanction any of its officers involved in such act.
He pointed out that the LAPAMU is not under his control, stressing that, the federal government set up the joint security taskforce to ensure that sanity was maintained on the road.
Cline further explained that some of the security officers, especially from the Navy were being replaced every two weeks in order not to give room for any sharp practice, but regretted that issues of bribery and corruption at the gates could not be ruled out due to the economic situation we find ourselves.
He, however, pointed out that some of the security were doing their best but that the truck drivers were hard set of people to deal with because of their level of education.
“Most of the truck drivers are impatient and will always want to park anyhow, irrespective of the sufferings they are inflicting on road users…they want to make more returns,” Cline stated.