KLT: Navy, NAGAFF, RTEAN Parley on Curbing Gridlock

Chinazor Megbolu

The Nigerian Navy, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), KLT Chapter and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) have parleyed to tackle gridlock at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) area.

This partnership held last Wednesday became necessary due escalated gridlock inward KLT Phase 1and 2, which affected the inflow returns of empty containers back to the facilities.

They explained that not less than fifty container laden trucks with export commodities were held up for about 48 hours without access to the lighter terminals, which triggered off apprehension among stakeholders.

After a combined meeting by NAGAFF, KLT Chapter took it upon itself to help resolve and tackle the static 48 hours gridlock that yielded positive result.

The Executive Chairman, KLT Chapter, NAGAFF, Engineer Emmanuel Umeadi noted it became necessary for the group to assist, synergise and collaborate with government agencies and other sister associations in resolving the traffic problem.

He posited that they had to engage the Nigerian Navy and officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA along with the truckers operating at KLT to tackle the traffic jam.

“The combined teams intervened to the traffic situation, noting that sanity has been restored to the place”.

“Why we are here today is to let people understand that we have what it takes to manage the traffic situation in KLT”.

” As you can see today on the road, we have the NPA, Navy Police and Federal Road Safety Corps.

“Without these security agencies I don’t think we will be here and without us the stakeholders, I don’t think they will be on ground as well, “he said.

Umeadi, however, appealed to shipping organisations and terminal operators to comply with government directives and provide holding bays for containers.

He also stated that the multinational companies are allegedly frustrating trade facilitation, which ought not to be so.

Umeadi further charged the security agencies to be humane while dealing with the truck drivers and called on exporters to ensure proper documentation of their goods to avoid delay in the clearance processes and procedures.