The Ports at Apapa and Tin-can have continued to struggle to achieve full operational capacity due to the poor road infrastructure leading to their respective locations.
According to Bolaji Akinola, a spokesperson for Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), the roads leading to the ports are at their breaking points. He called on the public not be easily swayed by a statement credited to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who said the ports were maximally utilised.
“Most of the terminals in the two ports are operating below capacity. The busiest terminals are operating at less than 70% at the yard and 60% at berth. So there is no port congestion anywhere as of today.”
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Akinola also faulted the government for depending on only two routes.
“I think the major problem we have at hand is that successive governments allowed the port access roads to degenerate. The two main entry routes into the Lagos ports are the Ijora-Wharf Road and the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
“The Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, which is the major road to the ports with six lanes, had packed up several years ago. Every petroleum tanker, port truck and trucks belonging to the many manufacturing concerns in Apapa now use the narrow Ijora-Wharf Road, which is not even in a perfect state also. These result in the avoidable chaos we see on these roads. If these roads are repaired as they should be, the chaos will disappear.
Bad roads are, however, not the only problem militating against the Lagos ports as clearing of cargo by Nigerian Customs was also noted as part of the reasons for the continued decline in the output of the Ports. A Nairametrics report has hinted that the Federal Government placed the customs under their radar to ensure revenue collection was appropriately made.
Akintola raised a solution to enhance the efficiency of ports.
“We have spoken in the past also about the need to develop alternative modes of haulage in the country. The over-reliance on road haulage is not healthy or sustainable for the country.”
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