The National Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC) on Thursday
kicked against the decision by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to lay
off 5,000 tally clerks and
onboard security men. The President of the association, Mr Bolaji
Sunmola, gave the indication in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
Sunmola said the matter would be taken to the Federal Ministry
of Transport for resolution, adding that the NPA was ready to throw
thousands of workers into the labour market alongside their employers.
NPA had indicated at a stakeholders’ meeting on Nov. 10 in Lagos that it would disengage tally clerks and onboard security men by Dec. 15.
In a letter dated Nov. 23, the NPA notified 10 stevedoring firms of its decision to disengage the tally
clerks and onboard security men. The letter was signed by NPA’s
Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Mr David Omonibeke. NPA
explained that sequel to the stakeholders meeting on Nov. 10, management had resolved to discontinue with the services of tally clerks and onboard security men.
It noted that this was based on the fact that the authority had ceded cargo handling to terminal operators in the concession
areas. The 10 stevedoring firms are currently engaged in Lagos, Tin Can
Island, Onne, Rivers and Calabar ports. They are Matral Marine
Services, Bashisa Global Ltd., Westland International, Dockworth
Services International and Long Shore Stevedoring (all in Lagos Port
Complex).
Others are Excellent Dominion, Blue Ocean Cargo Handling (Tin-Can port;
Patrade Nigeria Ltd. (Rivers port); Insight Marine Ltd. (Onne port) and
Fairdeal Agency Ltd. (Calabar port). “The terminal operators are
responsible for stevedoring operations in their respective areas as
provided in the concession agreements,’’ the NPA said.
The letter also directed NPA’s personnel to stop accepting bills from
the stevedoring companies after the expiration of their contract on Dec.
15. Sunmola said: “From this day (Dec. 15), Nigeria will be losing the
independence of reports and accounts without bias of happenings at the
quay apron of Nigerian ports’’.
He said that this would make Nigerian ports vulnerable to all sorts of
shady practices. “Cargo surveyors can never be substitutes for the tally
clerks and onboard security men. “We maintain that payment of tally
clerks is never a drain to NPA’s revenue,’’ he added. Sunmola said the
association was aware of the move by NPA, adding that members of the
association had started talking with the Minister of Transport, Mr
Rotimi Amaechi, to call NPA to order.
“We are talking with the Federal Government about it through the
minister of transport and we hope that something will be done on or
before Dec. 15,’’ he said. Efforts were also being made by the Maritime
Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to ensure that its members (tally clerks and onboard security men) continue to work.
A dockworker told newsmen anonymously that the nation’s ports might be returning to the pre-port concession era, when the leadership
of MWUN paid the dockworkers and there was no order. “If you remember,
the MWUN was collecting wages from the ship owners and the NPA and
paying the dockworkers.
“It was very chaotic and it took the determination of Chief Ojo Maduekwe
as the Minister of Transport to put a stop to the practice,’’ the
dockworker said.
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