Operation Free Ports’ Corridor : PSTT Sets To Clear Shanties Along 16km Port Road Network

The Ports Standing Task Team PSTT on Friday,  commenced the second phase of operations free the port corridors in Lagos as part of efforts to provide sanity within the seaports and its environs.

The exercise is expected to cover a total of sixteen kilometers ring roads network surrounding the two seaports in Lagos, aimed to clear shanties, indiscriminate parking of articulated trucks and illegal checkpoints along the corridors.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony , Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’Council , Emmanuel Jime recalled that in April 2022, the maiden flag-off of the exercise commenced adding that to repeat the same task in marking the second phase is an exciting demonstration of success that the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) has achieved during the first phase.

Jime reiterated that many people had their reservation while others expressed their doubts as to the capability of the task team in successfully clearing the Apapa port complex to Sifax-Ijora Road corridor with a view to bringing sanity and ensuring free flow of traffic.

According to him, the success recorded were not without dire consequences including stern resistance, intimidation, threat to lives and physical assault of operatives, gadgets and vehicles, pointing out that a case in point was the attack on some personnel of the task team including the National Coordinator where they were assaulted and harassed.

He pointed out that the second phase of the operation  will be covering Apapa – Tin-Can – Coconut – Berger Yard – Mile 2 – Orile – Ijora axis, noting that  the 15.6km stretch of roads littered with shanties and trucks parked indiscriminately thereby causing untold hardships to other commuters and creating opportunity for extortions and other forms of corrupt practices by both state and non-state actors will be addressed.

The Executive Secretary, stressed that the whole idea of “Operation Free the Ports’ Corridors” is essentially to rid the ports and Ports’ Corridors of inefficiencies and corrupt practices to enhance the ease-of-doing business,  even as he appealed  to everybody or groups that still nurse reservations to kindly see reasons and cooperate to ensure that the ports corridors are free for ease of movement and conduct of businesses.

Also speaking, in his key address, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mrs Magdalene Ajani noted that the mission is to remove all illegal checkpoints and shanties along the corridors, adding that it is aimed at eliminating traffic gridlocks and corrupt practices that have been impediments to ease of doing business in Nigerian ports.

Ajani who was represented by the Deputy Director, Inland Waterways ,Maritime Services Department , Mr. Adams Ofie stated that the operation is an offshoot of the implementation of the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM), which in alluding to its effective and successful implementation, the Vice President stated that, “It will change the narrative and Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by the Transparency International” about Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary affirmed that the flagging-off is on compliance function, solicit support for funding from the Agencies the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Nigerian Shippers’Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to synergize with the relevant security agents and the ministry in order to ensure how best to enforce compliance, explore the ways in which a stronger compliance function through sanctions-based compliance  and rewards-based compliance  can be achieved.