The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has made a “mind-boggling discovery” of 249 fake vehicle plate numbers and 149 units of Minimum Safety Standard (MSS) stickers.
It said the effort was made when a move geared towards frontally tackling the activities of unpatriotic elements sabotaging the shipping a uthority’s electronic truck traffic management (e-CallUp) system, also known as “eto.”
It says the “mind-boggling” discovery was made when its officials and security agents undertook a spot check of the MPS Pregate.
Further checks of the terminal led to the discovery of another 164 pieces of vehicle number plates and 133 pieces of MSS stickers that are not fixed on any truck in readiness to be deployed for proxy booking.
The fake number plates and MSS tickets were immediately confiscated, and the Terminal Manager was invited for questioning.
It said: “This development validates the Authority’s position on the existence of a deliberate and well-organised effort to undermine the electronic call-up system, which was initiated by the Authority to eliminate human interaction in managing traffic in and out of the ports as a measure of sustainably taming the menace of traffic gridlock hurting the national economy.
“The Nigerian Ports Authority is, however, resolute in consolidating the e-call-up project and its other process automation initiatives in order to grow the maritime sector to its full potential.”
