The Federal Government has established a five-member joint ministerial committee to address the ongoing harassment and challenges faced by maritime truck owners.
The committee, which includes representatives from the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, has been tasked with resolving issues and providing solutions to the concerns of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).
Headed by the Permanent Secretary of Marine and Blue Economy, Oloruntola Olufemi, with his counterpart from the Ministry of Transportation, Adeleye Adeoye, as Co-Chairman, the committee also includes Pius Oteh, Director of Legal Services, as Secretary. Other members are Musa Ibrahim, Director of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, and Babatunde Sule, Director of Maritime Services.
The committee has been mandated to submit its findings and recommendations to the minister within two weeks.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, announced the formation of the committee during a meeting in Abuja with the National Executive of AMATO and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
The meeting and subsequent creation of the committee followed threats of a nationwide strike by the unions in response to the continued destruction of trucks, harassment of truck drivers, and imposition of illegal tariffs by various associations.
Folake Soji-George, a member of AMATO’s Board of Trustees, emphasized that the challenges faced by maritime truckers had forced stakeholders to consider withdrawing their services to press their demands.
Additionally, NARTO’s Executive Secretary, Aloga Ogbogo, raised concerns about the excessive towing practices by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), as well as the growing incidents of harassment and violence against truck drivers.
