In its determination to provide safe road environment for its customers, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has signed a Memoriam of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on the enforcement of Minimum Standard of Safety and Road Worthiness (MSSRW) for trucks that operate from and to the ports.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Ports Authority Headquarters Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman stated that the synergy between the Authority and the FRSC was anchored on the need to protect lives and property of port stakeholders accessing its services in the face of threats by vehicles operating there without meeting minimum safety standards.

The goals, according to her would hopefully be achieved through the platform of Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) which FRSC launched some years back to create orderliness in trucks and fleet operations.

Ms Usman further stated that NPA launched an enforcement campaign for safety and minimum standards of trucks operating in ports within Lagos area, adding that it was in the effort to further upgrade and improve on the successes recorded that it adopted the FRSC’s Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS).

“It is in view of this that we are gathered here today to synergise with the FRSC by signing this MOU between the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Road Safety Corps,” she stated.

The Managing Director expressed confidence in the successful outcome of the synergy which would become effective from 1st March 2017 in all the ports locations, saying it would be a lasting solution to the problem of poor state of trucks that has for long affected smooth clearance of cargo and vehicular traffic at the ports.

Ms Usman said NPA had the responsibility of protecting lives and properties of all stakeholders accessing her services. According to her, this is by ensuring that all articulated vehicles and trucks which on daily basis freight containers and assorted bulk cargoes to different parts of the country from the ports meet the required minimum safety standards. She further explained that NPA was collaborating with the FRSC as part of efforts to put lasting solutions to the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway gridlock.

“To ensure full compliance, NPA is collaborating with the FRSC and other safety enforcement agencies toward achieving safety standard for trucks accessing the ports by adopting the Road Traffic Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS). This include regular inspection and certification of the NPA’s fleet.

“Apapa for example, is home to Nigeria’s two foremost ports which are being managed by nine terminal operators…between the two ports, more than 65 per cent of dry cargoes and about 90 per cent of the nation’s liquid (petroleum products) are handled”

The Managing Director said this was because “Apapa hosts about 35 tank farms in addition to the numerous other businesses located in the port city. Going by the operational activities highlighted above, there is always heavy vehicular traffic around all port locations and most of these vehicles are not in good state. This debilitating vehicular traffic has assumed a frightening dimension in so many port areas.

“It has led to serious accidents that have claimed innocent lives and several man hours lost in traffic jam. Miscreants, armed robbery and other social vices have been on increase because of the perennial traffic situation in those areas”.

In his remarks, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi while commending the Managing Director for the enthusiasm she has shown towards safety and security of port operators noted that her commitment is evidenced by her zeal to get the memorandum of understanding between the NPA and the FRSC signed.

He expressed total support for the initiative, describing it as both timely and in line with the vision of safer road environment which the FRSC is pursuing through stakeholders’ collaboration.

Oyeyemi further noted ports facilities are strategic economic infrastructure of the nation which can support development if well harnessed, saying every efforts must be made to ensure that goods and cargoes that pass to and from the facilities are safely conveyed to boost growth and restore public confidence in their usage.

Oyeyemi said from March 1, officers of the agency would be fully mobilised for the enforcement of the law and he urged fleet owners and truck owners associations to obey the new rules by the NPA.

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