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By Oluwakemi Dauda

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has expressed concerns over the news making the rounds that some criminals have sabotaged the electronic or e-truck call up system, thereby risking a return of traffic gridlock to Apapa access roads.

Few weeks after its launch, the system had recorded success as traffic disappeared for the first time from the Apapa metropolis.

NPA is concerned that after  the money and efforts invested in the e-call up system as a vehicle to bringing solution to the gridlock in Apapa, it is learning that people could try to subvert the effort.

Dismissing rumours that the system may have been hacked, its Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman said the NPA was strengthening the platform to prevent criminals from gaining access to it.

Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday, Bala-Usman, said the system has not been hacked.

Read Also: Lagos govt, NPA to truck owners: quit Apapa

“But the aspect of people trying to sell fake call up tags is what people always try to do, but we have strengthened our mechanism to ensure that is not applicable. We have noted all manners of trying to circumvent the e-call up system and we are resolved to concentrate on it.

“The ETO electronic platform seeks to provide an e-solution to the Apapa traffic congestion. It’s a platform where you log in as a transporter.

“It provides an avenue whereby all trucks are scheduled and given the necessary approval to go into the port, based on batches. This enables clarity on who goes into the port whether there is availability of space for them or not. It is just a sequence to ensure sanity within the port corridors.”

“ETO also approved designated truck parks where the trucks should go, park and wait to be called upon before they can approach the port corridors.”

She noted that within the same framework, the Authority had also put in place, pre-gate which is the last stop before the truck gets into the port area.

Explaining further she said: “These are all done to remove human intervention and layers of bureaucratic bottleneck.

“Several task forces have been put in place and they are finding it challenging to provide sanity that we all require within the port corridor.

“For us, one of the key aspects of Eto Platform is the deployment and compliant of usage of approved truck parks.

“One of those things that I always reference is that the trucks should remain in the truck park, even if the port is not ready for them. They should not come on the road and make our highways the parking places.”

According to her, the Eto platform is linked to the respective terminal operators who will convey the readiness of vessels to deliver and pick up cargoes and empty containers that are coming into the port.

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