Members of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) have accused hooligans of fleecing importers of at least N100 million daily as they return empty containers to holding bays in Lagos.
AMATO alleged that the urchins, with the backing of some security operatives and local government officials, collect about N50,000 on each empty container before it is allowed into any private empty depot around Amowu-Odofin, Kirikiri, Satellite town, and Bode Thomas, all in Lagos.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had directed that all empty containers should be dropped at shipping companies’ holding bays to ease the chaotic traffic along all access roads into Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports respectively.
With this, NPA issued operational licenses to about eight private firms with the mandate to establish holding bays to argument the state government effort.
In an exclusive chat with Daily Trust, President of AMATO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, said hoodlums have become powerful gangs around some privately owned holding bays and are collecting as much as N50,000 from each truck driver before they are allowed to drop off the empty containers.
If this situation allowed to continue, it would raise haulage costs in the future, Chief Ogungbemi warned.
“Over 1000 empties are returned to holding bays daily. From here, the empties are taken to the terminals from where they are loaded on-board relevant vessels.
“If N50,000 is paid on each container, it would amount to about N100 million daily. This colossal sum goes into individual pockets. We are calling on all relevant authorities, particularly NPA to look into the matter and see to its end before it becomes another factor that would impede on government effort to achieve a seamless port Operation.,” he added.
He disclosed that as an interim measure, the association will establish a monitoring team to reorganise the return of empty containers to take of the lapses.
