The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has tasked the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) to sanction truckers who fail to comply with Government’s directives when the rail end of the Apapa Port Spur line is completed.
Amaechi who gave this task during the inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line project over the weekend said the President, Muhammadu Buhari, has issued a directive on tonnage of cargo that should be allowed on roads and the directive will be complied with.
According to the minister, the directive has not been implemented as there are no viable alternatives yet to what subsists.
During the inspection, the Minister took the train to the completed southward 8.72 km of the of the Apapa Port Spur Line end of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, where he expressed displeasure at the outrageous number of Trucks parked on the rail tracks, making work difficult to complete.
The Minister, therefore, directed the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA ) to ensure that the trucks are moved out, adding that only registered trucks moving goods imported or to be exported be allowed into the ports.
The minister in a statement signed by Director press and public affairs, of the ministry of transportation Eric Ojeikwe was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr Freeborn Fidet Okhiria, the Board Chairman, NRC, Alhaji Ibrahim Alhassan and management staff of the Ministry.
