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…As container-trucks make roads impassable in Lagos industrial estate
• It’s not our business to manage traffic, firm counters.
Businesses operating in the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, Lagos, and motorists using the major road linking the estate to Ijesha are facing fresh hardship, as container-laden trucks have taken over the roads and adjoining streets.
The trailers, which are waiting to load or offload containers at Unity Bonded Terminal, have blocked major access routes in the industrial estate, making it increasingly difficult for business owners, workers, customers and motorists to reach their destinations.
The situation has compounded the already deplorable condition of the roads in the area, which businesses have described as almost impassable. Some portions of the roads are riddled with deep potholes, craters and gullies, yet companies and workers continue to operate in the area despite the difficult conditions.
Findings revealed that the situation is largely linked to the limited capacity of Unity Bonded Terminal, which serves as a holding bay for Maersk containers in the area.
With the terminal unable to accommodate all the containers coming in, trucks are reportedly forced to park on the major roads and adjoining streets while waiting to gain access to the terminal.
But the firm said there was nothing it could do on the matter.
“It’s not our business to manage traffic,” Funsho, an official of the company who spoke with the reporter, insisted.
Some truck drivers said they often spend several days on the road waiting to either load or offload their containers.
One of the drivers, Olumide, said he had spent three days on the road waiting to offload his container because there was no space inside the terminal. Another driver, Abubakar, said empty trucks waiting to return containers to the port also contributed to the congestion, as they sometimes remained on the road longer than expected.
Chidi, a light truck driver, who moves goods from Festac to Ijesha, said he used to make about four or more trips every day, but could barely make two trips now.
The Chief Executive Officer of Seamap Company, Chief Oge Obi, said the situation had made it almost impossible for him and other business owners to access their offices.
According to Obi, the problem could be resolved if Maersk appoints additional bonded terminals to serve as holding bays for its containers.
He said, “Within this area, it is only Unity Bonded Terminal that serves as their holding bay, and the terminal cannot accommodate all their containers. Once the place is full, trailers carrying containers block the major road in the estate and the adjoining streets.
“For over two months now, I have hardly been able to go to my office. The same applies to other people who have businesses here. You can set out for the office and, on getting close, you will be told that there is no road and that the best thing is to turn back home.
“We are paying taxes; we are paying ground rent and we are paying salaries. Is this how we are expected to continue doing business in this difficult economy? It is frustrating, and everybody is tired of this chaos.
“If you go around the area, most of the containers you see belong to Maersk. You hardly see containers belonging to other shipping companies.”
Obi said business owners had repeatedly suggested that Maersk should appoint another bonded terminal so that containers could be distributed between different holding bays.
He, however, alleged that the shipping company might not have been aware of the problem their containers are causing in the estate.
He said, “In order to solve this problem and ensure that people can access their offices, we have told Maersk to appoint another bonded terminal as an additional holding bay. If that is done, the trailers currently parked on the major roads and streets will be cleared.
“If you go around the whole area, people are finding it difficult to get to their offices.”
According to him, the situation had already begun to affect businesses financially, with some companies unable to operate effectively because of the lack of access.
“We are now calling for a meeting of all the companies in the area to find a lasting solution to the problem,” he said.
When the reporter visited the Corporate Office of Maersk Shipping Company at 1216 Bishop Oluwole, Victoria Island, on Wednesday, he was directed to one Funsho.
Responding to the reporter’s enquiries, Funsho stated that Maersk has many bays holding its containers. He noted that if there was any obstruction of traffic by trailers carrying the containers, it is the duty of the holding bay and officials of the traffic management agencies to handle such matters.
“It is not the business of our company to manage traffic,” he informed. “The holding bays are our vendors. We shouldn’t be the ones controlling traffic in their areas of operation.”
