…As truck holden bay operator, laments low patronage***

A vessel, the MV CHIMBA EXPRESS, which illegally enter Nigeria with 406 passengers on-board, some of them Nigerian deportees without passports, have been arrested and detained by the Nigerian Navy, in Lagos.

The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo confirmed this on Thursday, noting that the CHIMBA, which had operated variously under different names, actually departed Libreville, Gabon, on April 20, before being intercepted in  Lagos waters on Wednesday.

“The vessel departed Gabon laden with cargo, regular and deportee passengers of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Malian nationalities.

“The total number of Nigerians on-board will be determined shortly and among the Nigerians are 18 deported returnees,” he said.

Eyo said the charterer of the vessel, identified as Mubashiu Lawal from Republic of Benin, made a yet to be verified claim that they made contact with the Nigerian port control to get permission to come in.

“This was yet to be granted as at the time of their arrest and it was also gathered that the international passports of the passengers were with the agents who claimed to be processing them.

“It was also obvious that there was no formal contact at governmental levels for the delivery of the deportees or returnees,” he said, highlighting the fear that the Nigerian deported returnees would probably been abandoned at a convenient place, while the vessel sails away, free.

Subsequently, the Navy is inviting other Government agencies, particularly the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service amongst others, to help unravel the actual mission of the Chimba!

Eyo said that apart from the issue of unauthorised entry which was the subject of investigation, the vessel was also in breach of absence of an active Automatic Identification System (AIS).

“MV CHIMBA EXPRESS’s gross tonnage is about 677 tonnes. The international law mandates vessel of more than 350 tonnages to install AIS on-board, which shows it was operating in violation of the law.

“MV CHIMBA EXPRESS visual identity was also found to be mismatched with its registered name which was identified as RAMADAN IV.

“The ship document also shows that the ship was flagged at Cameroon as against the electronic documentation of registration in HONDURAS, which is contrary to the provision of the International Maritime Act,” he said.

Eyo said that the vessel’s agenda was to dump the passengers in Nigeria, adding that it would have followed the original passage plan.

He also said that relevant agencies were working together to unravel and deal with the issues.

“To this end, the relevant agencies – Nigerian Navy, NIMASA, Immigration, Customs and DSS – will be working together to unravel the motives behind the whole affair as well as deal with other associated issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Orile-Iganmu Parking Terminal, created as truck holden bay to curb the traffic gridlock has been abandoned by truck drivers, who would rather park on the bridge and other awkward places, so as to avoid the paying of a N1,000 daily parking fees.

The Truck terminal Manager,  Mr Timothy Nkeonye, who disclosed this in Lagos, stressing that except truck drivers were forcefully compelled to come to the truck park, they would continue to park on Lagos roads thereby causing gridlocks in Apapa area.

“The truck drivers intentionally park on the road to avoid payment of fee at the parking terminal.

“They are very difficult to control, majority of them intentionally park on the expressway and bridges to avoid paying N1, 000 entrance fee at the terminal.

“Some drivers will tell you there is no money to pay for the terminal parking and that’s why they park on the roads,’’ Nkeonye said, adding that for now, the parking terminal could conveniently contain 600 tankers if the drivers obeyed parking rules.

According to him, the 3000-capacity terminal has been experiencing low patronage since it was established in 2007.

He stated that although part of the terminal was waterlogged, the Lagos State Government had intervened to find lasting solution to the challenge.

He therefore appealed to relevant government agencies to be more proactive in enforcing the traffic law that prohibited tankers from parking indiscriminately on the road.

“Some drivers will tell you there is no money to pay for the terminal parking, that’s why they park at the expressway whereas it is very dangerous.

“But if there is strict punishment for the offence of indiscriminate parking on the expressway and on bridges, the tanker drivers will adjust and abide by the rules,’’ he said.

Mr Kehinde Ishola, Secretary, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Orile PTD Branch, said most tanker drivers were fond of parking recklessly on the road.

Ishola said that most truck owners were unconcerned about where their trucks would be parked before loading at the depot.

“Some of the owner refused to give the drivers money for parking at the terminal; they are not concerned of where the truck will be parked before loading.

“I think government should take the enforcement with iron hand to eradicate the indiscriminate parking of trucks and tankers on the road.

“It is very dangerous and at the same time not proper as a city or country where its highways were filled with trucks and tankers is not ideal,’’ he added.

Mr Noah Adeniran, NUPENG’s Chief  Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO), also called for adequate enforcement to prohibit indiscriminate parking of trucks on the roads.

“Some of the tankers have no base, but instead of them paying for parking at the terminal for convenience and safety, they decide to hang around the expressway before loading at the depot.

“This parking terminal have been in existence since 2007, but some of the drivers refused to use it,’’ he said.

The Lagos State Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, had urged truck drivers to utilise the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ABAT, Truck Terminal in Ijora to reduce traffic gridlock in Apapa area.

Speaking at a Town Hall meeting in Apapa on April 17, Ambode expressed concern on the gridlocks caused by trucks around Lagos ports.