E-Call Up System reduces extortion of truckers by security operatives -WIMA

E-Call Up System reduces extortion of truckers by security operatives –WIMA

The federal government introduced electronic call up system(ETO) in port operations has drastically reduced extortion of truckers by security operatives.

The President, Women in Maritime Africa (WIMA) Nigerian chapter, and Managing Director, Bomarah Group, Hajia Bola Muse made the assertion in a chat with newsmen during the week.

Muse alluded that the introduced system reduced the alleged amount truck drivers pay to security agents as bribe along the port corridors, adding that truckers no longer pay N250,000 but the Eto N10,000 charges.

”The system has drastically reduced the extortionist tendencies of security operatives in charge of traffic management along the ports access roads,” she pointed out.

She maintained that the few traffic situations still being experienced around the port access roads were artificial .

On pockets of traffic being experienced along the port corridors, the treasurer, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said, “The E-Call up system is working but we Nigerians are impatient people. There is no good project that does not pass through a teething stage just like a child growing up.

”The traffic you see at Tin Can and other places is due to impatience of drivers but I want to assure you that Eto has come to stay no matter how they try to sabotage the efforts to make it work.

“I don’t know why people want to forge because it is supposed to be a glory to all of us because where they were paying N240,000 to N250,000 before, they now pay only N10,000, why do you still need to forge?

“The moment you have your receipt, you enter the port ,”she maintained.

Speaking on International Women Day Celebration, Muse said, “The theme of this year International Women Day was ‘I Choose to Challenge. We choose to challenge the oppression by men in the maritime sector; we choose to challenge maltreatment of women on board vessels; we choose to challenge intimidation by men in the maritime.

“We chose the theme to sensitize people that even though we are gender separate, we have equal rights.

“We used to have few women in the industry but we have a lot of then coming into the industry these days so see what we have been canvassing for all along.

“The most important thing now is that women are coming together to fight the cause in the industry.

“Women In Maritime Africa (WIMA), Nigerian chapter, is making efforts to improve on the capacity of women to take their rightful positions in the industry. ”