Opeifa refutes alleged traffic regulation.

The Vice Chairman of the Presidential Task Team in charge of Apapa gridlock, Comrade Kayode Opeifa has refuted the story purportedly linked with Sea Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) making rounds that he issued a new traffic regulation in the port that is likely to hamper traffic flow.

Opeifa who denied issuing any such new regulations, said the controversial regulation is the same that has hitherto been in operation.

In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, he alleged that the author of the article indicting him for issuing a new regulation must have been paid to write such article even as he threatened to take legal action against the author.

Fuming that the article was wrongly credited to Sea Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Opeifa said some of the terminal operators he spoke with were not happy with the write-up.

He explained further, that, the guideline has nothing to do with terminal operators adding that a draft had been sent to them ahead even as he said that the document was yet to be released.

He said, “The story is not from STOAN because I have spoken with all managing directors of terminal operators except Mrs Haastrup of ENL and TICT but I have spoken to ABTL, GDNL AP Moller, I have spoken to Mr. Uzamot and they said they were not aware of anything. So, the man must have been paid to write something.

“We have not issued any guideline, we have been doing what we have been doing before. What he is referring to is the draft document sent to everybody in view of covid pandemic. We are saying for social distancing, let us manage the way our operators sit in vehicles. It has nothing to do with terminal operators. It has nothing to do with anyone, it is an existing guideline saying henceforth, we will not entertain any rubbish from violators because the violators will put our members in danger.

“What he is saying is document sent to all stakeholders to comment on and they have commented including ENL and it said it was okay though not on their letter head but the Secretary of STOAN.

“It has nothing doing with trucks entering ports or getting out of ports. So, call the truckers if there is any new rule, this document was served and we all discussed it and we now sent it to them.

“Our committee has two truck owners as members, we have NPA, Shippers’ Council in the PTT and Ease of Doing Business. And if this does a document, is it Opeifa’s document? More so, we have not done the document, they have only said in view of covid- 19.

“And if you are saying terminal operators, you need their consent. I have their records, I have their comments this evening. All of them are angry about the story, they were shocked when I sent the article to them”, he maintained.

Editing by ‘Biodun Soyele