Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has described the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) new directive on movement of agro export trucks to the ports as a policy that will instigate delay and extortion even as it was done without due consultations.
COMTUA noted that the circular already trending on the eto platform with the caption “Revised Procedure for Processing Agro Export Truck to the Ports” is wrong, utterly biased, and possibly to negate progress of the industry.
A letter sent to the Managing Director of NPA, Mr Muhammed Bello-Koko, and signed by the National President of the association, Mr. Adeyinka Aroyewun, stated that the directive purported to have emanated from the office of NPA boss would not produce efficiency and seamless movement in the agro export movement as claimed.
COMTUA therefore held that all the explanations peddled on the platform failed to adequately address the negative impact the policy would have in the system.
It argued that from the association’s studies, experience and investigations, the policy only compromised the realities on ground in the system it pretends to assist.
According to the letter: “Among the many challenges would be the economic implications of double handling, delays, loss of jobs and wages, double charging for call up, as oppose to the possible claim of creation of more opportunities.”
Baffled by the short notice for such significant transition, COMTUA wondered if proper and due consultations were carried out or it was another way to burden the trucking family the more.
The association noted that its regrettable that the formulation of most of these contentious policies are not done in consultation with sincere and genuine stakeholders, which leads to these negative and unprogressive ideas.
COMTUA warned against enrichment of a few to the detriment of majority of Nigerians and the economy, which is not the best for the industry in particular and the nation as a whole.
It restated that it has advised NPA severally against the use of pseudo truckers to represent genuine truck owners at its meetings.
It stressed that such action of not consulting with genuine truckets is a ploy to get endorsement through the backdoor for an inappropriate policy. “This misrepresentation has affected negatively, the outcome of most of your policies concerning trucking activities.
“On these and others , COMTUA is rejecting the policy in its entirety.
We are calling for a more indepth consultations with genuine stakeholders to determine the best approach for whatever challenges the system is envisaging or facing, else if this circular sees the light of the day, it may have some damaging consequences in the industry,” the association stated sadly.
However, COMTUA declared its readiness for consultations, saying that its doors are always open for constructive debates on issues to move the industry forward.