PEAK SEASON: COMTUA To Engage Truckers On Stable Haulage Charges During Yuletide

The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) on Monday , assured shippers that truck owners will not inflate haulage charges during the festive season.

President of COMTUA,Comrade Olaleye Thompson in a chat with DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA gave the assurance against the sudden hike of haulage charges of containers by some truckers within Tin Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC).

The COMTUA President also disagreed with truck owners who took advantage of increasing freight charges arbitrarily based on the lingering congestion .

Thompson also declined knowledge about the sudden hike by some truckers adding that the newly Inaugurated team would work round the clock in addressing any situation that has to do with road transportation along the port corridors.

The COMTUA frontman also admitted that third party influences might have been responsible for the hike but maintained that the cost of haulage charges within the seaports to other parts of the state was intact.

While reacting on hike, the COMTUA President argued that charges from Apapa to Ikeja on 20″ container goes between N280,000 and #300,00 while 40″ container is between #400,000 and #450,000 , respectively, which according to him, depends on the bargaining power of the shipper.

“This is the peak period and the yuletide is around the corner but I can assure you that no truck owner at this time will increase haulage or transport charges for now.

“The pandemic has caused a lot of setback this year so I don’t think it is tidy enough for anybody to increase haulage freight at a time like this.

“We must consider the common masses at this point in time and I wouldn’t allow such to happen this time around. And you can be rest assured that we are not going to increase our rates.”Thompson assured.

While disclosing the recent development on the congestion at TCIPC, Thompson added that “immediately the COMTUA executives were inaugurated over the weekend,I can say that we have been able to tackle the gridlock at the port”

“There is a major different between what we have now and last week.

Thompson who is the Managing Director of Thom Lee Nigeria Limited a Freight Forwarding and Logistics firm , noted further that the new executives of COMTUA have reaffirmed their commitment to work together in resolving issues affecting transportation along the port corridors in Lagos State.