Ports access road: shipping companies must suspend charges on empty containers – Folake George
By Silas Onuoha
Mrs. Folake George and Vice Chairman, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, Dry Cargo, Alhaji Inuwa Abdullahi, in a group photograph with MAJAN members after the media parley in Lagos:
The National President, Corporate Fleet Truck Association of Nigeria (CFTAN), Mrs. Folake George, has said that shipping companies operating in Apapa ports should suspend charges on return of empty containers to the ports.
The CFTAN President made this known in a media parley with Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), at NAGAFF Centre in Lagos.
According to her, “What we are proposing is for shipping companies to suspect the charges on return of empty containers because transporters are not the cause of the problem on Apapa road”.
Her explanation, “What do they want us to do? The roads are so bad and trailers are all over Apapa and other places in Lagos. We should even be the ones complaining, as the containers would stay on our trucks for weeks before getting to the ports.
“So, right now, we are using our trucks as holding bays for shipping companies, yet, we are not requesting for extra charges.
“One week ultimatum has been given to the shipping companies to put their house in order. We are equally calling on the Federal Government to fix the ports access road for businesses to thrive in the sector
