NPA Raises Concern Over Truckers’ Refusal To Use Designated Parks At Onne Port

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has expressed concern over the continued refusal of truck operators to use designated truck parks at Onne Port, saying the development is contributing to traffic congestion, delays in cargo evacuation and other challenges within the port corridor.

The Traffic Manager at Onne Port, Siraj Agbolade, disclosed this while highlighting the challenges associated with truck movement and parking around the port.

According to him, four truck parks located within and around the port are currently underutilised, as some truckers allegedly prefer parking along the roads and paying touts instead of using the designated facilities.

Agbolade said the parks were provided with basic facilities to make truckers’ short stays more convenient while they await clearance to access the port.

He explained that the parks serve as transition points where trucks are processed and scheduled to enter the port for cargo evacuation or loading through the Electronic Call-Up System.

He added that the NPA had scheduled a meeting with relevant stakeholders operating at Onne Port during the week to deliberate on the challenges and work towards finding lasting solutions.

The development comes amid concerns by transport unions and freight forwarders over indiscriminate parking and the poor condition of roads along the Onne Port corridor.

Chairman of the Onne Branch of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Ifeanyi Isikaku, warned that commercial activities along the corridor could be severely affected if urgent steps were not taken to rehabilitate the deteriorating roads.

Isikaku alleged that freight forwarders and importers were losing millions of naira as trucks conveying valuable consignments reportedly experienced accidents or fell along the corridor due to the poor state of the roads.

He described the Onne Port corridor as a critical route for the movement of cargo within the Eastern maritime economy, noting that its deteriorating condition had turned transportation into a major challenge for truckers, freight forwarders, importers and residents.

He further warned that prolonged delays on the corridor were increasing operational costs for businesses through demurrage, vehicle maintenance, cargo damage and lost business opportunities.

Stakeholders have therefore called for urgent rehabilitation of the access roads, improved enforcement of designated truck parking arrangements and better coordination among port operators, transport unions and relevant government agencies to restore efficient cargo movement along the corridor.