Again, Trucks Take Over Apapa As E-Call System Machine Crashes

Apapa Gridlock

Scores of Lagos residents and motorists, yesterday, got stranded for several hours at Oshodi-Apapa and Ijora-Apapa expressways following unconfirmed reports of the collapse of the electronic Call-up system machine.
The traffic, which started building up mid-morning, worsened at noon, stretching from Ijesha to Berger Yard, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

Scores of Lagos residents and motorists, yesterday, got stranded for several hours at Oshodi-Apapa and Ijora-Apapa expressways following unconfirmed reports of the collapse of the electronic Call-up system machine.

The situation, which resulted in total gridlock, worsened as traffic law enforcement agents abandoned control to miscreants and officials of port unions as no official of the newly created Lagos State Special Traffic Management Enforcement Team could be seen at the gridlock points.

The traffic, which started building up mid-morning, worsened at noon, stretching from Ijesha to Berger Yard, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, while the Ijora-Apapa to Area B, inward Nigerian Ports Authority, was also shut down, due to the high influx of truckers.

One of the truck drivers, identified as Usman, said, “The reason we stormed the road is that we learned that the e-Call system machine is faulty, with the issuance of e-Call ticket suspended, meantime. So, pending the restoration of the system, our members decided to storm the road for access into the port. That is why you see many of us on the road.”

It was gathered that the electronic call-up system, initiated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has not been fully successful as truck drivers refused to move to the designated satellite truck parks meant to house the vehicles before they are called to pick up products.

The action of these tankers drivers has taken a toll on commuters on the Mile 2- Tin-Can end of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway as motorists spend long hours between Mile 2 and Tin-can port in Apapa.

The development has also impacted port charges as trailers, coming into the ports through the Mile 2 axis, now spend days on the roads before they access the port to load containers.

Meanwhile, the Chief Operating Officer, Transit Truck Park (TTP) Mr Dayo Adeboye, said tanker drivers operating around the Lagos ports are currently frustrating the newly introduced Electronic call-system to regulate the movement of tankers in and out of the ports.

Adeboye added that NPA TTP have tried to engage tanker drivers on how best the traffic situation in Apapa could be managed but have refused to make use of the designated satellite truck parks.