NSC Partners Ogun, Private Sector to Develop Ogere TTP

Peter Uzoho

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has urged Ogun State Government and the private sector to work together in a strong public private partnership (PPP) arrangement to facilitate the development of the Ogere Truck Transit Park (TTP).

The park located at Km 67, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State, is one of the TTPs in the country mapped out for establishment in line with the federal government’s plan to address the infrastructure deficit in the country, provide short-term resting place for truck drivers on long distance travels and reduce loss of life and cargo caused by accidents arising from fatigue.

A TTP is a public rest area located off the road, designed to provide temporary location for truck drivers, primarily intended for short-term breaks having long-term parking services where truck drivers can get fuel, food, restrooms, and basic supplies like oil and spare parts as well as servicing and repairs of haulage vehicles.
Speaking during a working visit at the Ogere TPP, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, said the park, which is presently used as mere parking lot for trucks needed to be developed up to modern standard. He said with such upgrade, the park could be used as linkage to Lagos ports, or as transit trade.

“If well-developed it has to be paved to convey facilities here. This is just a park. What we need is a truck transit park with hotels or hostels or restaurants, and when we say restaurants it has to be the famous ones like Chicken Republic, Mr. Biggs and those kind of things, and of course petrol station,” Bello said.
He stated that the council had been talking with the investment section of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and currently with the NEXIM Bank to make them interested in the project.

“We have to talk to the state government to see what arrangement will be. It’s going to public private partnership so that we can involve the private sector. Because of the proximity to Lagos it could be a staging area for port operations”, Bello added.

Meanwhile, the Zonal Coordinator, South West, NSC, Mr. Rotimi Anifowose, disclosed that letters had been written to the intended partners for them to visit the park to kick-start the PPP process, noting that the Council was hoping to receive feedback from them in the coming weeks.