Maritime truck owners threaten showdown over illegal collections

Association of Maritime Truck Owners said they are gathering momentum to embark on a striker following incessant collection of illegal tolls from its members.
AMATO president Mr Remi Ogungbemi, said some state actors were conniving with non-state actors to exhort money from the truckers. He urged the Nigerian Shippers Council to look into the issue.
“Momentum is gathering, truckers want to withdraw their services because of anomalies faced on the port corridor.
“Our trucks are in bad shape, rickety and the money we need to repair the trucks are being taken by the non-state actors,” he said.
Speaking on the issue Mr Olayinka Sakiru, Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, said that the state government was working to ensure that there were other means of collecting tolls rather than along the road.
Meanwhile the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says that the enlarged Presidential Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) has rid the port corridor of shanties and trucks constituting nuisance within three months.
Mr Emmanuel Jime, the Executive Secretary, NSC, said this during an inspection of the port corridors on Tuesday in Lagos.
Jime said that the success recorded would enhance ease of doing business.
He noted that the success was recorded along Apapa TinCan to Coconut, Berger yard, Mile 2, Orile and Ijora axis.
According to Jime, Apapa is fantastic and it is good they are starting on a positive note.