Union cites poor service, threatens to abandon Lagos port call-up system

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The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Association (COMTUA) has threatened in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) but copied Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other key stakeholders to desist from participating in the call-up system (ETO) at the ports through the Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP) due to its failure.

In the letter, the National President of COMTUA, Adeyinka Aroyewun, claimed the call-up system has not been effective in managing traffic and congestion at the ports, leading to significant delays and inefficiencies in the transportation of goods.

He further said: “Despite our efforts to work with the NPA to address these issues, the system has continued to fail, causing disruption to our operations and impacting our members’ livelihoods.

“Therefore, we have no choice but to suspend our participation in the call-up system until the court has ruled on the matter.

“We shall obey all traffic rules on the road leading to the port; however, we shall discontinue the use of the call-up from the 7th of April, 2025. We shall sensitise our members and orientate ourselves on the use of port access roads without causing congestion.

“We believe that this is the only way to ensure that our business is not destroyed beyond what it is now.

“We understand that this decision may cause inconvenience, but we hope that you will appreciate the importance of resolving these issues for the benefit of all stakeholders in the maritime transport sector. We remain committed to working with the NPA to find a solution that will improve efficiency and productivity at the ports,” Aroyewun stated.

Aside from the Lagos State governor, other political leaders and state agencies the letter was addressed to include the Minister, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy; the Attorney-General of Nigeria; the Inspector General of Police; the Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State; the Commissioner of Police, Western Port Command; the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command; the State Director, Department of State Services, Lagos State; the Department of State Services, Lagos Port Command; and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Apapa, Lagos.