APAPA GRIDLOCK: ITS CHALLENGES AND MY SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

This is my open letter response to the article on the business section of Punch Newspaper of Sunday (16-09-2018), titled: “Apapa Gridlock: Stakeholders seek cancellation of container deposit”
The url: Apapa gridlock: Stakeholders seek cancellation of container deposits https://punchng.com/apapa-gridlock-stakeholders-seek-cancellation-of-container-deposits/

I believe that there is a difference between advocating for reduction of gridlock and cancellation of container deposit.

I will deal with the former first.

The on-going construction along the Apapa/Wharf road axis have led to a great deal of traffic along that route with delay in clearing of imports, returning of empty containers and also transporting of export. The road construction has been ongoing for a while but beyond the road construction there is the need to expand the road and the port due to increase in import and increase in trucks plying that axis to clear the containers from the port.

There is also the drainage issue. During the rainy season there is a hike in traffic congestion caused by the drainage problems, bad roads and fall of containers, which has become a yearly nightmare. During the eight years reign of Mr Fashola as Lagos State governor (2007 – 2015), he tried to fix the Apapa/Wharf road puzzle but he could not. The Sitting governor, Mr Ambode is also working tirelessly to fix the puzzle.

The second issue raised was the issue of container deposit. To elaborate, I will use the example that most people are aware of including the millennial. Before the general usage of plastic and can for drinks in Nigeria, we use bottle. The seller always charge a deposit fee for taking the bottle home in case you lose it, broke it or never returned the bottle. The deposit is always refunded when the bottle is returned within agreed time.

The container deposit works exactly in the same way. The shipping line always asks for container deposit before allowing agent/customer to take the container to their warehouse to offload their shipment and return. The container deposit is returned if container is returned in good condition and within stipulated time. There is a charge for late returning of container, which is also deducted from the container deposit and refund returned if any. Where the agents did not return the container the container deposit is utilized by the shipping line to procure another one.

I believe the container deposit is a good business strategy by the shipping company. It helps to ameliorate their business risk. This strategy forces the clearing agent to return the empty container or risk losing the container deposit. Also, some of the terminal have gone ahead to partner and provide bonded terminal that receive empty containers if you want to stay out of the traffic-ridden queue though sometimes at a cost.

MY SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

We should think, plan and act on the use of the rail system. We need the rail to by-pass the road congestion.
We need to fix the road and have in mind the weight of the heavy-duty trucks that will ply the road.
We might look at the possibility of using barge to transload goods from the port to small water areas that are very close to the recipient warehouse.
Cancellation of container deposit is not good for the general shipping business.
 

DISTRIBUTION COMPANY ELECTRICITY CHARGE AND THE LATENESS OF THE COURT

Is judiciary against corruption or in support of corruption?
It is as if judiciary don't know what is going on in the country.
The judiciary has reversed the increase in the electricity distribution fee.
And I asked a reversal to what? # 750 fixed monthly charge, which is # 9000 annually. In my compound, we have only 90 flats and on annual basis, we will pay # 810,000. In Lagos Mainland Local Government (which residents is more than 6000) over #54,000,000.00 (fifty-four million) will be paid to EKO electricity Distribution just as fixed charge. If EKO decides not to supply energy for the next one year, they will still collects over # 54,000,000 from the residents of LMLG!
And how much in total from all other places they operate.
According to NERC, we have 12 major distribution companies and two operates in Lagos, while the other distribution controls more than one state. In effects it means I can go to sleep and DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHINGS, except perhaps own an electricity distribution company and be eternally rich.
The judiciary should uphold the removal of fixed charge and then find a way of negotiating the variable charge. Also this law just took effect some months ago, where was the judiciary, why must the judiciary always come late?
We could just conclude justice delayed is justice denied.
Someone might just have to ask on whose side is this judiciary system?
Lagos water corporation case of metering water and charging based on their preconceive units is still ongoing and the court has done nothing about that. The commercial sector who are affected for now are complaining and they are already telling us that the fate of the household community is ‘homecoming’
Firstly like all government does, since last year water supply has been erratic and individual borehole and well digging is the source of water. (For over 50 years, Lagos State Water Corporation has been the only source of water provision and well digging a sustainable factor during the hot weather but that has CHANGE, thanks to the CHANGE mantra.)
Secondly, it will be the case of review of water tariff and it is already in the pipe because the metering system is decided upon by the Govt without any recourse to the citizens. The water metering law even the water you drill from the borehole you created yourself.
Thirdly, the government says it is an old law that they are just implemented therefore you cannot blame them for not giving public lecture and calling for a town hall discussion.
The question now is what the type of charge to be used is: fixed and variable, fixed or variable?
Soon a court of competent will rise and nullify it and all the charges that Lagos state has collected WILL never be refund.
It is high time we start making laws with reality of the day than living in a fantasied heaven.
The same issue is what is affecting the motor vehicle users and FRSC. Even FRSC staffs don’t obey the laws because they are all unrealistic laws. Though the laws are goods but they are unrealistic. The FRSC staffs will claim staff if apprehended but the man on the street will be severely tortured and the fines are so exorbitant such that bribing the FRSC staffs (CORRUPTION) seems to be the normalcy and expected reaction.
I will never regret supporting this CHANGE MANTRA but I think I will regret the ignorance of not knowing that the CHANGE MANTRA itself can be change.