•Trucks parked along Apapa port road
Haulage truckers operating in Apapa and Tin Can Ports axis have suspended their planned service withdrawal following the intervention of the Lagos State Government and key maritime stakeholders towards resolving their grievances.
The suspension was announced, yesterday, in a joint statement issued by the secretaries of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), reports The Guardian.
The truckers had earlier threatened to withdraw their services on February 24, 2025, in protest against what they described as “exploitative activities” by the Lagos State Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee and Enforcement Team in Apapa.
The groups cited repeated cases of harassment, bullying, extortion and the imposition of excessive, unregulated penalties on haulage truck operators within the port access areas by the agencies.
However, following intervention by the Lagos State Government and engagements with key agencies, including the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the truckers agreed to suspend their three-day ultimatum and service withdrawal plan.
