Stakeholders: FG should use Customs revenue to fix port roads

Stakeholders in the maritime sector are presently calling on the Federal Government to use parts of the revenue generated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to fix port access roads in the country.

Of particular interest to the stakeholders is the road from Mile 2 to Tin-Can.

The stakeholders argued that Apapa and Tin-Can Command of the Nigeria Customs Service generate over N2billion daily from the ports, stressing that there was nothing wrong in voting a fraction of the money into rehabilitating the road.

The N100billion required o fix the roads, the stakeholders argued, can be generated by Customs and other government agencies within two months.

Members of the Association of Nigetian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) noted that the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) was making frantic efforts at finding permanent solution to the gridlock on Apapa/Tin Can Island roads.

The stakeholders said there was an urgent need for the federal overnment to fix the Tin Can Island road as the NPA, Dangote Group and Flour Mills plc are already embarking on reconstruction the Wharf road.

They said the deplorable state of Apapa roads is affecting business as a lot of offices have folded up because of the gridlock.

One of the importers, Mr Adeyemi Adeleke, however commended the board and the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for injecting N1.8 in fixing the Apapa road, which had hindered easy access to the ports.

The President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu complained that the bad roads were causing avoidable economic losses, accidents and loss of manhours, on a daily basis.

Shittu said that the bad roads were affecting economic activities and the health of the road users.

Mr Sunda Collins , a banker , urged government to urgently repair the road.

“Everyday, we spend several hours on this road before we get to our offices and when we do get to our offices, we are already exhausted; we are really suffering.”