AMATO laments delay at Lilypond, says it takes 10.days for trucks to exit terminal
,,,as Lagos Govt charges truck drivers against use of hard drugs
Segun Oladipupo
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has on Tuesday, bemoaned the delay experienced by truck drivers at the Lilypond Truck terminal lamenting that it sometimes takes upward of ten days before trucks gain entry into the seaports
The group added that the facility has not yielded any positive result expected of it
Speaking, AMATO Chairman, Alhaji Lukman Shittu stated this at the sensitisation program organised by the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Committee (LASTCOC) and the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation at the Lilypond Truck Terminal Ijora.
Shittu also disclosed plans to set up a taskforce to monitor movement of trucks amidst numerous challenges faced by haulage vehicles in and out of Lilypond and port environs.
Reiterating AMATO ‘s commitment to ensure mental health, well being of truckers operating within the maritime community, he charged truck drivers on zero tolerance to substance abuse ,
Shittu added that drivers and their assistants are bread winners of their families, hence the need for them to be responsible to the society and port industry
Speaking shortly after the sensitization, Shittu reiterated that the taskforce will cover peculiar areas within the port community of Apapa, with emphasis to locations like -Eleganza, Mr. Biggs and Lilypond terminals.
His words, “For long there is delay at Lilypond and some trucks spend close to 10 days before they exit Lilypond terminals. We want to set up the taskforce to monitor the movement of cargoes at the terminal.
“We will introduce the task team soon. We will deploy at least four persons to Lilypond, Eleganza and Mr. Biggs Area and we will monitor it ourselves because this is our business and we have no other jobs for now.”
Shittu who doubles as Chairman, LASTCOC, apparently determined to change the narrative of haulage drivers, stressed the need for truckers operating the maritime industry to be enlightened on the danger of drug abuse and that the association would continue to harp on sensitizing drivers on the importance of abstaining from any form of drugs which in turn will reduce accidents on the Lagos roads.
He commended the Lagos state government under Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu for the initiative to sensitize truckers adding that truckers need all the supports and encouragement towards ensuring a drug-free society.
Earlier ,Hon Hassan Adekoya who spoke on behalf of the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa explained that the use of illegal substances have migrated from hard drugs to pharmaceutical products.
Hassan disclosed that drug abuse has led to accidents on the highways but added that the days of drug abuse by truckers would soon be over .
