Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the federal government to implement an imminent expansion of other ports in the country over intense pressure and work overload on the Lagos port facility and personnel overstretched. As per the report, Lagos ports account for more than 90 percent of import and export cargo in Nigeria. The union also urges for the provision and procurement of port operational machinery and rail services that would help speed up and maximize the operational capacity function of the ports.
This was disclosed by the President-General of MWUN, Dr. Adeyanju Adewale, at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) in Lagos. He called on necessary government agencies in charge of dredging, wreckage packing and channeling of inland waterways, among others, to demonstrate proactive commitments while executing their various duties, as well as dredging Calabar, Escravos, Warri and Port Harcourt ports. Adewale emphasized the maritime sub-sector’s significant impact on Nigeria’s economy and political and international diplomatic plan.
Among the challenges facing ports are high charges among others.
Considering the tremendous advantage and potential of the maritime sector holds, Dr Adewale argued that no positive-oriented government would allow such a significant sector that contributes greatly to the national and economic development and revenue of the nation to decline. He said the contribution of ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms could not be overemphasized. Dr. Adewale noted that allowing such occurrences will induce adverse factors such as massive unemployment and job losses, reduced revenue, a decline in port operations and services, leading to berth vacancy, empty sheds and stacking areas, among others
Despite concessions of ports that induced operational progress and improvement, the union president laments that there are still major challenges affecting the performance of the ports. Among the challenges he highlighted are high port charges, delays in cargo clearance, multiple taxation and development of intermodal transport, and low job creation. According to him, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) could only account for about 4,000 employees compared to 13,000 workers before the port concession.
MWUN reinstated the state of emergency in the industry.
Furthermore, he noted that the low employment figure indicates a gradual extinction of junior workers in NPA. Dr. Adewale stressed that this is a matter of urgency that needs to be looked into as he called on the authorities to employ more adequate personnel to spread across all operational areas in the port. He noted that the employment structure in most government maritime parastatals has, over the last decade, assumed an inverted pyramid employment structure, where there are more senior staff than junior, thus, affecting their capacity to effectively monitor port operations in jetties and terminals.
The union President-General said employees in the shipping sector are subjected to inhuman conditions that impoverish and degrade them due to the absence of the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) agreement in the sector. MWUN reinstated the state of emergency in the industry, calling on the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) and other stakeholders to prevent the shipping industry from imminent industrial action. Moreover, the union called the attention of the government to get International Oil Companies (IOCs) to compel with the nation’s labour laws and standards, many of which were alleged to have continuously defied the nation’s stevedoring regulations.
The administration has received approval to employ more workers.
On the other hand, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, who commended Adewale for his selfless service, expressed gratitude to the union for establishing a peaceful and enabling environment free of strike action. Speaking on the alleged IOCs matter, Dr. Jamoh said the agency would work with key stakeholders to resolve the matter amicably. Meanwhile, Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, represented by General Manager of Human Resources, Ahmad Umar, stated that the administration had received approval to employ more employees in order to lessen the shortage of workers.
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Maritime workers call for ports expansion – Lagos ports account for more than 90 percent of import and export cargoes. – Express your point of view.
Expansion of port operations in the country is overdue because I don’t see any reason for as big as Nigeria to have only functioning port which is located in Lagos.Atlist Nigeria suppose to have 3 functioning port to easy congestion in port.
This is long over due because the Lagos port is really overstretched for work load and staffs so it need to be decongested for more ports to be created for easy,fast and effective work to be carried out.
We should be able to expand our ports. It is very important for us to do so. It will help increase the extent of export and import that will be done. We should equip the ports more.
The low employment figure suggests that there will be a progressive decrease in the number of junior workers in NPA.
The union also wants the ports to be given and bought the equipment and rail services that would help them work faster and to the fullest extent of their capacity.
Over the last decade, most government marine parastatals have adopted an inverted pyramid employment structure, with more senior workers than junior, making it harder to monitor port operations in jetties and terminals.
Maritime workers call for ports expansion. Federal government need to work on other sea port not focusing on Lagos port alone.
overburdened workers at the Lagos port and a lack of space have prompted the federal government to start planning for the growth of other ports in the country.
Its good that the union wants to see the ports equipped with rail services and operating machinery to increase their efficiency.
It is vital for the government agencies that are responsible for a variety of tasks, including dredging, wreckage packing, and channeling of inland rivers, among others, to display proactive commitments while carrying out their respective jobs.
A government with a constructive outlook would not permit such a big sector, which makes a considerable contribution to the national and economic development as well as the revenue of the nation, to experience a fall.
Massive job losses and unemployment would result from such an event, along with lower revenues and a drop in port operations and services, which would leave berths unused and sheds and stacking spaces unoccupied.
The union calls for the provision and acquisition of rail services and equipment for port operations that will hasten and enhance the ports’ ability to operate.
The administration had been granted permission to increase the number of personnel they employed in an effort to alleviate the labor shortage.
sincere appreciation to the labor union for creating a productive and harmonious workplace that is free of strike activity
It really choking Lagos port since almost the operation is been carry out there there should be like more port in other state so it can relieve the long over load of operation in Lagos port
It is very important we expand our ports. It will help increase the extent of export and import that will be done and great employments opportunities.
A forward-thinking administration would not permit such a large industry, which provides substantial contributions to national and economic development and revenue, to diminish.
The union president regrets that there are still significant issues affecting the operations of the ports notwithstanding concessions made by the ports that led to operational development and improvement.
Government should expand all other ports in Nigeria since the Lagos port overwhelmed with so many cargos. Other ports should be expand to contain the bulk of load overwhelming Lagos already.
Lagos sea port is truly overwhelmed with more than 90 percent impor and export. Other need to be expanded and allow to reduce the load Lagos port is already experiencing.