By Steve Agbota
Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP), a leading technology company specialising in mobility solutions, has emphasised the urgent need for the implementation of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)/E-tags and the E-callup Interchange Transaction Number (EITN) to streamline truck movements within Lagos ports.
This call was reiterated during a recent Stakeholders Engagement Forum held at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Headquarters, aimed at assessing the efficiency of the Electronic Callup System amid the resurgence of traffic gridlock along the Apapa Port corridor.
Key challenges discussed during the forum included the drop in terminal efficiency, which has contributed significantly to the persistent gridlock at port corridors; the status of information technology infrastructural installations across park facilities, with some parks allegedly operating without fulfilling standard requirements.
Concerns were also raised about wet cargo operations, emphasising the need for an electronic call-up system for tanker operations to alleviate congestion. Truckers’ attitudes toward standard operating procedures for the E-call-up system were also identified as a major driver of congestion.
In a bid to overcome the challenges, the TTP proposed the deployment of E-tags to improve the electronic call-up system deployed for the Apapa and Tincan ports. It was explained that the E-tags affixed to vehicle windshields, offer a seamless and automated approach to access control.