Some truckers on Tuesday in Lagos expressed happiness with the inauguration of the Lilypond Truck Transit Park, saying it will reduce cost, traffic and extortion on port roads.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that one of the two parks designated for truck park to stem vehicular traffic was on Friday inaugurated by the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), while the second gate at Tin Can had yet to be put to use.
Speaking on the importance of the park, a chieftain of the truckers, Mr Abdullahi Inwa, said that relief had come the way of the truckers whom, he said, had been subjected to hardship for too long because of the gridlock on port roads.
“We are grateful to NPA for heeding our cry though long overdue.
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“Many of our members have lost their lives while in the traffic out of exhaustion on steering while going to load or drop off empty containers at the ports.
“The coming of the much awaited park at this time will take away lot of pressure from us and other port users,” he said.
He appealed to NPA and the managers of the park to guard against subversive measures that could thwart the good intentions of the park.
A trucker, Mr Emeka Okoroafor, said that if the truck call up system could be maintained, there would be no more gridlock on port roads.
“We want to see NPA live up to expectations by ensuring that trucks without a call up tag do not come to the port. Then sanity will return,” he said.
Mr Jones Bibire, a driver, said that the quick inauguration of the Tin Can port gate park would complement the existing one and put a final stop to the hazels faced by port users in Lagos.
NAN reports that the park has capacity to house 4,000 trucks. (NAN)
