Tanker drivers in Lagos State have issued a warning that they will stop loading petroleum products from Monday unless the state government reviews the new N12,500 E-Call Up fee per truck on the Lekki-Epe Corridor.
The drivers, operating under the umbrella of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), argue that the cost is excessive and unaffordable, proposing instead a fee of N2,500 per truck.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, recently defended the E-Call Up system, explaining that it was designed to regulate the movement of tankers and trailers along the corridor.
According to him, the system aims to maintain traffic order and prevent gridlock, similar to what the Apapa axis experienced in previous years.
Speaking on Sunday, NARTO President Yusuf Othman stated that negotiations with the government are ongoing.
“For now, we are still negotiating with the Lagos State Government. The N12,500 is too high. We recommended N2,500 from the beginning. Let’s see how it goes and if we can reach an amicable resolution. But if the government does not agree, our boys will not go and load tomorrow,” Othman said.
In response, Olawale Musa, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, clarified that the N12,500 fee is not a government levy but rather a charge for utilizing the facility constructed by a private investor to manage traffic and reduce environmental hazards in the Lekki-Epe area.
Musa urged the union to cooperate and adhere to the new system to prevent the Lekki corridor from descending into the chaotic state once witnessed in Apapa.
Negotiations remain ongoing as both parties attempt to reach a consensus before the Monday deadline.
