Under the chairmanship of
the General Manager, Western Ports, Chief
Michael K. Ajayi, the committee is also expected to address truck driver’s
allegation of extortion at Seaports entrance gates and along Port access roads
within the Lagos Ports Corridor. Memberships of the Committee are drawn from
the NPA truckers unions, fleet operators, and Security Agencies.
According to NPA, truckers
union represented on the Committee include representatives of Truck Owners
Unions, Association of Maritime Transport Owners (AMARTO), Joint Council of
Seaport Truck Operators (JACOST), National Association of Road Transport Owners
(NARTO), Road Transport Employees association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Truck
Drivers Unit of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
Ajayi explained that the
composition of the Committee became necessary following repeated complaints by
truck drivers of alleged extortion by security operatives at the Seaport
entrance in Lagos.
Pledging to verify all
allegations, Ajayi explained that the Committee is determined to refer any
erring security personnel or agency to appropriate law enforcement agencies for
necessary action.
The truck drivers had
blamed alleged extortion for the unending vehicular traffic in the Apapa Port
vicinity, pointing out that the frequent cases of e extortion has made loading
in Lagos Ports a nightmare for both drivers and transport agents.
Meanwhile, NPA has
reiterated its determination to always cater for the welfare of workers. Ajayi
enjoined all categories of workers in the organisation to always strive to
offer their best in the discharge of their duties.
Speaking before he
commissioned the refurbished Break Lounge for the security personnel of the
Lagos Port Complex [LPC] Apapa, Ajayi said: “To whom
much is given much is expected.’’
He urged the security
personnel of the Ports who are the direct beneficiaries of the Lounge, to
realise the sensitive position they occupy in the management’s vision of
providing an efficient Ports service in a safe, secured and Customer friendly
environment.
Earlier in her welcome
address, the Port Manager Lagos Port Complex, Mrs Ezeoke Eunice Ngozi, explained that the lounge was achieved as
a result of long time planning and painstaking patience by relevant departments
in the Port. She recalled that the essence of the facility was to ensure that
security personnel were comfortable whilst on duty.
A statement issued by NPA’s
General Manager (Public Affairs), Capt.
Iheanacho Ebubeogu, quoted Hajia
Halima Abdul of the Occupational & Health Department as saying the
Lounge was a thing of joy to the Management of the Port and appealed to
prospective users to make good use of the place during break time to refresh
themselves from the hazards of noise and human/vehicular pressure from Ports
users.
Meanwhile to tackle traffic
gridlock along ports access roads in Lagos State, Abdullahi has called for the
provision of adequate rail lines from the ports to major cities in Nigeria.
Addressing a stakeholder’s
forum comprising of Senate Committee on Marine and other stakeholders in Lagos,
recently, Abdullahi described NPA as the most affected organisation,
“We (NPA) are very eager to see that permanent
solution is preferred to the problem”, he
said recalling that in the past, rail lines convey cargoes from the ports to
other parts of the country, adding that the resuscitation of these services
will further reduce the hardship being faced by commuters and other
stakeholders.
According to Abdullahi,
transportation of petroleum products by rail from the ports to the North,
particularly Kano, which he witnessed as a youth no longer exist. He called on
relevant agencies to rise up to this challenge by reviving rail network in the
country.
While
pledging the readiness of the Authority to complement the efforts of other
agencies whose responsibilities it is to provide the needed facilities,
Abdullahi suggested that petroleum products could also be transported through
pipe from the ports to other destinations.
The Chairman of the
committee and former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Yerima Ahmed Sani, explained that the committee
embarked on the exercise as a result of the resolutions passed by the Senate
expressing concern about the gridlock.
He said the committee will
not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that the problem of gridlock in Apapa
is solved.
Sani called on all
stakeholders to come up with suggestions on how best to combat the menace,
pointing out that whatever affects the efficiency of the port operations affect
the Nation’s economy. (Guardian)
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