Obsolete facilities threaten cargo safety at Ikorodu terminal

Absence of perimeter fencing and dilapidation of facilities are posing threats to the safety of cargoes at the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal in Lagos.
This is the position of Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Ikorodu Command, Chris Odibu, during a recent visit and facility tour of the terminal by the Zonal Coordinator in charge of Customs in Zone A, Aminu Dahiru.
Odibu lamented that thieves always invade the terminal facility from the waterfront by taking advantage of absence of fence.
The CAC also decried poor power supply at the terminal saying that it threatens the life span of equipment used by the officers.
While addressing officers and stakeholders at separate meetings in the terminal, Dahiru reminded them that the terminal was established in 2004 to serve as a warehouse for seized goods, overtime cargoes and other storage purposes relevant to its operations.
He urged them not betray the trust reposed on them by the management of the service by shunning any attempt at making them compromise their positions in the course of duty.
”Don’t allow yourselves to be used by anyone who is desperate to remove any container from this place unlawfully. In the past, some containers were believed to have left this place without due process. This management will not treat such issues with kid gloves” he said.
Dahiru, an Assistant Comptroller General, also admonished officers and men of the zone that posting to a warehouse or store is a function of trust even as he urged them not to betray the trust reposed on them.
Olalekan Odisina, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Terminal Manager said the agency was constrained by various individual agreements with the terminal operators. According to him, two big sheds have been dedicated to the processing of agricultural products for export to Europe and Far East Asia.
He added that an investor was considering movement of cargoes from Apapa to Ikorodu terminal using barges that would not take more than six hours per trip.

 

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