Expert demands e-call-up system to sanitise Apapa port

Dr Olumuyiwa Alaba, a trade expert has urged the Federal Government to introduce electronic call-up system to sanitise truck movement for speedy decongestion of Apapa port.

Alaba made the call while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Abuja at a roundtable organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Policy Advocacy Centre (PAC).

The e-call-up system would regulate movements of trucks to and from the ports in the port vicinity seamlessly.

The expert said that a functioning e-call-up system devoid of manipulation was needed for seamless operation and decongestion of the port.

“It is the issue of manipulation that is causing the crisis in the port,” he said.

“The road is already overstretched, Nigerian waterways should be enhanced to move goods while railways should be efficient for freight services too.

”If transport infrastructure is fixed, the burden on the road will reduce and move to railway and waterways.

“We need properly put together and maintained single window system. The Nigerian Custom Services (NCS) is doing closely to what single window should be and not really single window.

“Many trade operators cannot access it from anywhere in the world. It is only useful to agencies of government.

“Port processes should be automated, as long as we have human beings interacting with one another there must be problem.”

Mr Olawale Rasheed, the Coordinator, ACCI, PAC, also emphasised the need for the private sector perspective to tackle Apapa Port operational challenges.

Rasheed said that recommendations from the roundtable would be utilised to find lasting solution to the port crisis.

According to him, with Nigeria having the lowest GDP growth in West Africa at 2.3 per cent, government should find palliatives measures to cushion the effect of the Apapa challenges.