Apapa gridlock: GDNL tasks govt agencies, traffic managers

The management of Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL), has tasked the Presidential Task Team and government agencies in the maritime sector to find a lasting solution to the menacing traffic situation in Apapa and Tincan Island axis.

The operators of terminal E stated that the gridlock has denied a lot of manufacturers the opportunity to clear their cargoes from the ports in good time.

Speaking on the sideline of a facility tour visit by delegates from the International Monetary Fund, The Acting Managing Director, GDNL, Mr. Akin Omole, told newsmen at the terminal, that the facility is designed to handle cargoes basically for manufacturing but the added that traffic situation can be described as unpredictable.

Highlighting major challenges faced by the port concessionaire, the Managing Director, lamented that such traffic has also led to demurrage charges paid by the manufacturers in foreign currency, which in turn add to the cost for doing business on Nigeria.

Omole said:

“If a vessel alongside 40,000 metric tonnes of cargo is at berth and the trucks that are supposed to convey such cargoes is not able to access the port; then the vessel will be there longer than necessary.

“And as you know, the longer the vessel stays, the more demurrage she incurs. It’s not only containerised ships that pay demurrage, vessels also pay demurrage in huge dollars and it’s a major challenge.

“So I believe that with the intervention of the Presidential Task Team that the federal government instituted with the collaboration with NPA and Shippers’ Council ,I believe that they could be more cohesive and synergy among those agencies there will be a significant improvement in the truck access in and out of the port.

The window we are making reference to is that there are different stakeholders in Apapa port; we have the containers; we have the manufacturers and others.

“The window in preference is one given to manufacturers that is the occupant of this terminal, that the Apapa port terminal E, which manufactures Dangote flour, sugar, salt and of course gypsum.

So, the manufacturers were given a window to bring in trucks between 12 pm to 3pm, sometimes even goes on as planned because we bring in many trucks as we are able to muster, some other times the road gets very chaotic”, he added.

Asked about the state of insecurity about vessels at berth, the MD noted that the NPA is on top of the issue of attack on ships by neighbouring communities.