A co-join vehicle laden with 20-feet container toppled down at SIFAX inward Ijora 7up, on the high bridge connecting Marine/Ijora Bridge, blocking the whole road Sunday morning, and instantly paralyzing all vehicle movements on the strategic axis.
Eye witnesses said it occurred before 7am, stressing that it only confirms the final return of Rickety trucks in Apapa ports, despite the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Ironically, the incident which called attention, to the ridiculous state or standard of the trucks being presently allowed into Apapa ports to load containers by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Road Safety Corps, despite the ‘Safety Accord’ between the duo, may also be a pointer to why, those in charge of trucks call up had been at logger head with those at the Presidential Task Team, whose sole task had been restoration of sanity, including inappropriate endorsement of trucks into the ports.
The only consolation for road users, was the ubiquitous presence and dexterity of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the Presidential Task Team (PTT) and the LRU advance team which instantly took control of the situation, competently managing it, even before the arrival of vital rescue equipment.
Vehicular activities were seriously affected, resulting into a diversion towards the Service lane, inward Ijora 7Up, to connect Marine/Ijora Bridge.
No doubt, incidences like this, not only takes time to recover, it also enable disturbed and disparaged road users to say nasty things, as they review the actual state of the NPA/ FRSC recent memorandum of understanding, crafted with the sole aim ensuring sanity on the ports axis, particularly with the aim of preventing rickety or vehicles not considered road worthy into the ports.
It was truly a costly congestion that soon resulted, despite all efforts to the contrary by the LASTMA and the PTT; a congestion genuinely costly to both the Lagos State government; and innocent commuters, in terms of pains of loss of man-hours, among others.
An industry watcher who spoke on conditions of anonymity told the Maritime First: “Look, don’t worry about nothing. Rickety trucks are back. Laws in Nigeria span two weeks; and when they do better than that, then may last two months!”, he stated, saying the development throws more light on why those in charge of trucks call up, have been fighting the PTT officials, since they have become the only recognized body capable of thwarting rickety trucks allowed to sneak into ports, in the dead of night!
Also read: Gridlock: Lagos to restrict movement of trucks during daytime
Now, is anyone still monitoring the state of the trucks accessing the ports? Or, is the NPA-FRSC MoU against rickety trucks truly over? Or is it because we have moved into Yuletide Season’s spirit, when needs possibly soar and expenses shoot into roof-top?!
