Ag. MD, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko

The Nigerian Ports Authority NPA has barred rickety and unsafe trucks and other articulated vehicles from entering all the nation’s seaports with effect from July 1, 2021 under the implementation of its Minimum Safety Standards MSS scheme for trucks, anchored on the electronic call up platform codenamed ‘ETO’.

This is coing after several consultations with stakeholders, including the leadership of the various trucking associations that do business at the seaports.

Acting Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who made this known, disclosed that the action was aimed at bringing to an end the incessant breakdown of trucks on port access corridor, which contributes to the gridlock on the access roads.

According to him, this is also in furtherance to the understanding reached with the Lagos State Government as part of the enforcement of the electroni call-up system, designed to facilitate smooth transit of bulk cargoes and containers in and out of the ports.

“Hence forth, only trucks confirmed by the NPA to have met the MSS requirements and duly issued with an MSS certificate will continue to be active on the “Eto” platform managed by the system operator – Truck Transit Parks Limited TTP. Any truck or vehicle not confirmed or certified will be denied access to initiate bookings on the “Eto” platform until it has met all MSS requirements as stipulated by the NPA.

“Owners of trucks yet to meet the MSS requirements are advised to approach the NPA Safety Department at any of the two port locations in Lagos for appropriate guidance. When a truck is certificated, its details would be uploaded on “Eto” app in order for the truck to continue doing business at the ports”, the MD assured.

It was however gathered that the commencement of the enforcement of NPA’s new MSS scheme was sequel to a Memorandum of Understanding MoU signed between NPA and the Federal Road Safety Corps FRS), a move that was designed to stem the increasing cases of trucks breakdown and containers falling off articulated vehicles inside the seaports and on the highways, which had claimed hundreds of lives and destruction of property.

Recall that the scheme was initially introduced in 2017, but was suspended in order to give truck owners enough time to meet the required standards.

The scheme stipulates that all trucks doing business inside the ports must go through a safety audit and be certified as fit-for-purpose. Absence or defect of certain vehicle parts and accessories will disqualify a truck from certification. The safety inspection covers items that include the truck head, driver and vehicle particulars, trailer carriage unit, tyres, brake system, lifting jack, vehicle lights, driving mirror and speed limiter. The items checked will be recorded as satisfactory or non-satisfactory after the inspection.

While soliciting the support and cooperation of port users, especially truck owners, the NPA-boss enjoined industry stakeholders to join hands to keep the ports safe, insisting that trucks doing business at the ports must meet stipulated standards of road worthiness to enhance the efficiency of the nation’s seaports and check the avoidable carnage on the roads.