Apapa port link bridge closure may cause cargo diversion —Amiwero

Lucky Amiwero, the National President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), has warned of imminent cargo diversion in the event of hasty closure of Ijora bridge without any alternative route.
Recall, that, as part of the ongoing rehabilitation exercise on Wharf road, Apapa , the Federal Government proposed closing the Ijora bridge which links the Apapa port with Ojuelegba for four weeks for some repair works.
It is also instructive to know that the Ojuelegba -Ijora axis of Apapa port access read is currently under rehabilitation.
Amiwero noted that, closure of the only link bridge
to the port without first rehabilitating the Mile-two-Tin Can road, the only alternative access road to the port but which is also impassable through years of government neglect, would completely shut down the port and make it inaccessible to port users .
In a memo he addressed to President Mohammed Buhari, the front line freight forwarder noted that, the shipping companies, terminal operators and other ports users may declare Apapa port force majeure due to difficulties in accessing the facility.
“We wish to bring to the attention of the Federal Government, the economic implication of the proposed closure of the Ijora-Apapa Wharf bridge for four months ”

“There is an urgent need to conclude the palliative work on the Tincan Island road axis of the Apapa-Oshodi Express Way, before the closure of Ijora-Apapa Wharf bridge used as holding bay to en-route Apapa Port, which puts pressure on the bridge.”

“The proposed closure of the Ijora-Apapa Wharf Bridge, without the rehabilitation of Tincan Island road axis that connects the four major Ports in Lagos, will greatly affect movement of goods into and out of the Ports, which will lead to close down of operation in the four major Ports in Lagos”

“Lagos ports might be declared force majeure, due to operational difficulties in going in and out of the Port, which will necessitate shipping lines to divert cargos to neighboring West African Ports, to reduce stay time of ships and cargos”, noted the freight forwarder.
He however asked the Federal Government, to compel the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA ) to use part of the seven per cent surcharge collection for development levy by the agency for the rehabilitation and maintenance of Tincan port axis access road.

“The Tincan Island axis of the Port access road, should be rehabilitated, with part of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) allocation of the 7% Surcharge on Port Development Levy(PDL) in line with the provision of the Port Act Section 32-(a), which conferred authority to NPA, for the Maintenance, control and management of the Port Roads” Amiwero declared.