It was a press release signed by representatives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Nigerian Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and truck owners at the end of their meeting yesterday that ended the three-day strike embarked upon by the coalition.
Moov Logistics News learnt that the coalition equally gave the federal government of Nigeria another 21-day ultimatum to rectify all the issues in contention so as to avert further round of shutdown. Apapa ports account for over 65 per cent of the total revenue generated by the country’s port system annually.
The groups had protested some anomalies in the ports including dilapidated road infrastructure around the ports in the country. The decision to suspend the action was reached at the meeting of representatives of the bodies in Apapa, Lagos.
Different concerned stakeholder groups have used the strike option to protest the situation at the ports as a way of forcing the government to improve the deplorable state of the infrastructure around the ports.
Last year the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) protested the deplorable state of the Apapa roads and the resultant gridlock. Worried by the perennial Apapa gridlock, which had remained unresolved for over 10 years, MAJAN embarked on the peaceful protest to draw the attention of the authorities to the menace, which has cost the country trillions of naira in revenue.
In his speech at that occasion, the President of MAJAN, Mr. Ray Ugochukwu, regretted that the traffic gridlock in Apapa, which, apart from killing businesses, had sent many people to their early graves through motorcycle accidents as motorbikes have become the noticeable means of transport in the area.
He had condemned the situation as unacceptable; hence the group resolved to continue the protest till the menace was totally and comprehensively addressed.
The press release issued at the end of the meeting of representatives of the bodies in Apapa, Lagos early yesterday said the suspension was sequel to pleas by the government and other well-meaning Nigerians, to allow relevant authorities address all the issues, which necessitated the withdrawal of service.
“As patriotic Nigerians, the associations agreed that the economy should not be unduly further distressed,” the statement said. The associations used the occasion to commend the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), for their efforts at improving logistics supply chain.
