Freight forwarder calls for lighter terminals to decongest Lagos ports

Mr Segun Musa,  a freight forwarder and  Managing Director of Widescope International Group,  on Wednesday  called for creation of lighter terminals for freights to decongest Lagos ports.

Musa made the call in an  interview  with journalists in Lagos.

He said that lighter terminals and  electronic call-up system would  decongest the ports.

He advised  that  other terminals  should not be abandoned but used more frequently.

Musa said that with electronic call-up system, congestion due to customs and police checkpoints would be addressed.

“In freight forwarding,  we continue to educate our people that it is an informal sector and we are all trying to make it look formal and trying to make  people  to know their right from their left.

“There is need for  lighter  terminals  on other corridors; It is the first measure to decongest Apapa corridor,” he said.

Musa also advised that governments should not operate truck parks  as a means of decongesting ports, but should  encourage private investors to run such parks.

He said  that it was not government’s  responsibility  to manage  parks.

“Rather, they should be privatised with provision of an  enabling environment by governments as well as setting up of standards and guidelines.”