We pay N150, 000 to access ports on time, truckers lament

truck parks, adding that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority ( LASTMA) would then feast on the returned truck drivers to collect their own share of the illegal fees by arresting the trucks.

Gabriel narrated: “We have our complete papers, our Eto documents are genuine, yet we have to pay a bribe to go into the port. When we try to protest, the port operators and security operatives tell us that it is not about having the complete documents, that we have to spend extra before our trucks enter the ports,” he said.

Gabriel, who was waiting in the queue of trucks opposite the Lagos Complex Port for his turn to enter the port, further narrated his present experience, saying: “I spent two days driving from Lilypond park to Lagos Complex port. I am not sure I will enter the port today, I am praying to God to help me. I have paid N2, 000 at First Bank beside the junction of the port. I have already spent N70, 000 to get to this place and this is not the end, at that junction close to the port entrance, I will pay another N3, 000. If we don’t pay that money, we would be returned back to the park and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority ( LASTMA) will then hold our vehicles.

“Last week one of my trucks was turned back because the driver couldn’t pay the N3, 000. While turning at the port road he ran out of fuel, the next thing we saw were LASTMA officials that came and towed the truck to their office at Costain and we spent N35, 000, which was after they collected bribe from us, before they could release our truck,” he groaned.

He said the truck parks are also not helping the success of the electronic call up system and truck drivers, noting that at the Lilypond park, trucks were delayed for seven days before they were called to the ports.

When asked the reason, he said, the Eto officials at the park, sometimes, give excuses of the ports being full as the reason why the trucks have not been called.

Gabriel said those excuses are lies as the ports are empty, saying: “It is because they no longer see that bribe we usually pay to them, so, it is the Nigerian Ports Authority and security operatives that get the money now.”