As container traffic returns to Tin Can and Apapa ports, Trucks Transit Park (TTP) Limited, Nigeria Customs Service and licensed agents are working together to tackle black market deals and racketeering in the Eto call-up system.

The Guardian observed that there is rampant racketeering surrounding the Eto call-up system, causing persistent congestion and disorder along the Lagos port access roads.

The Guardian found that while the official cost of an Eto ticket on the system is N20,750, freight agents pay as much as N400,000 to black market dealers lined up on the port access roads.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of a targeted training programme to sensitise key stakeholders on the workings of the e-call-up system, the Coordinating Secretary of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agent and Freight Forwarders, Apapa, Dominic Chukwuemeka, decried the rampant racketeering surrounding the system, blaming it for the persistent congestion and disorder along the port access roads.

While Chukwuemeka acknowledged that the Eto system was designed to streamline cargo movement and eliminate chaos, he noted that fraudulent practices have undermined its effectiveness.

?Officially, Eto is N20,750, but due to racketeering, it now costs N250,000, N350,000 and even N400,000 depending on demand. That is the situation we find ourselves in,? he stated.

He noted that many of the trucks causing gridlock acquired fake Eto tickets, often using different plate numbers to circumvent the system.

Some truckers remove their original plate numbers and attach fake ones that match the ticket just to get through the port gate. After loading, they switch back. That is how bad it is,? he explained.

He added that the association was pushing for a new reform in the Eto booking system, where tickets are tied directly to the container number and bill of lading, rather than a truck?s licence plate.

The Head of Operations, TTP, Irabor Akonoman, addressed the misinformation circulating among stakeholders regarding ticket prices, saying people have been misled into believing that tickets are sold for N200,000 or more.

Akonoman said the training was to empower customs agents with knowledge and practical skills relating to the e-call-up system and booking procedures.

Akonoman explained that customs-licensed agents are essential gatekeepers in port logistics, as they facilitate truck movement in and out of the ports.

?When agents do the bookings themselves and issue tickets directly to transporters, they will know exactly where their trucks are and how long they have been there. It creates transparency and improves efficiency across the board,? he said.

On his part, the Chairman, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Eze Uchendu, decried the inefficiency of terminal operators in facilitating the movement of cargoes, stating that possessing an Eto call-up ticket is no longer a guarantee for accessing the port. (The Guardian)

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