Maritime
No plans to sack dockworkers – NPA
NPA
By Kunle KALEJAYE
LAGOS-The Management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that there are no plans by the organisation to sack 10,000 dockworkers.
Responding to an advertorial published on Monday by a group which called itself “Concerned Dockworkers” of the Mari1ime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) of Delta State titled ‘OPEN LETTER/PETITION AGAINST ALHAJI HABIBU ABDULLAHI, MANAGING DIRECTOR NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY (NPA) ON HIS MOVE TO SACK OVER TEN THOUSAND NIGERIAN DOCKWORKERS (TALLY CLERKS AND CARGO SECURITY MEN) OPERATING IN NIGERIAN PORTS, MIDSTREAM, JETTIES AND TERMINALS’, NPA said the group dished out misleading information to the public.
“In the letter, which was full of half-truths and innuendos, the writers alleged amongst other things that the NPA Management has “threatened to sack 10,000 tally clerks and security” category of dockworkers”, to replace them, with less than 80 persons as cargo surveyors.
“Ordinarily, the Management would not have reacted to this purported letters by the uninformed writers but considering the flagrant misinformation and the misinterpretation of trust in the letter, calculated to paint the management and particularly the Managing Director in bad light, we deem it most appropriate to put the record straight for the benefit of the general public especially stakeholders,” NPA stated.
The NPA Management said it had never been the employer of dockworkers as prior to the 2005 port reform, the Authority ran a full service port system and was directly involved in cargo receipt from the vessel, its discharge and subsequent delivery to the consignee.
“Under the current concession regime, cargo operations became the responsibility of the terminal operators who are the master stevedores for their individual terminals, with authority to hire and fire dock labour employer for supply of dockworkers to their terminal and to pay them accordingly.
“With the port reform and following agitation by the Dockworkers Union, Government approved a severance package of N200,000 for each of the severed dockworkers not required by the new terminal operators on account of age or low productivity was paid by the Authority, while NIMASA ultimately took over the responsibility for the registration, welfare, training and regulation of dock labour practice in country.
“Cargo surveyors have for long been representatives of the NPA in port operations. As professionals responsible for measuring the tonnage particularly of dry liquid bulk cargoes, they were first engaged in 1999 and renewed in 2006 at the take-off of the current concession.
“Cargo surveyors are to provide the Authority with an independent source of information for the verification of tonnage discharged by vessels calling at the ports for voyage reconciliation with terminal operators.
“Last December, the NPA in its desire to check fraudulent practices in the payment to labour contractors initiated a verification exercise for all such contractors with a view to authenticate all genuine and ambiguous claims from such contractors.
“It should be pointed out here that in the last nine years, the Authority had been groaning under the weight of the financial burden of payment of tally clerks/on board security men even when it does not deliver any value to NPA under the current dispensation as a landlord and regulator,” the Port Authority explained even as it stated that the overriding desire for a peaceful industrial relations atmosphere that will ensure and secure government’s objectives for reform in the maritime sector and improve efficiency of port services shall always remain the its guiding the approach.
“The contractual relationship entered into by Nigerian Ports Authority as a responsible corporate organization is guided by established Government regulations.
“The publication in This Day of Monday 22nd December 2014, captioned “Call To Regularize Contractual Obligations”, which the group finds offensive in summary requires all employers of tally clerks and onboard security men with existing and going contractual relationship with the Authority to come forward for verification as a basis for ensuring payment.
“Are they saying their contracts should not be verified while the Authority continues to pay billions under questionable circumstances?
“The on-going verification exercise of labour contractors by Management is meant to ensure that the Authority only pays to contractors with the valid contracts and to curb fraudulent practices in the process.
“As a responsible organization, NPA Management wishes to re-affirm that no fully registered labour contractor would be surcharged in this exercise,” the organisation added.
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has deposited three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the global body.
He did so on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which acts as the repository for these conventions.
This move, coming a few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council, is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, of the President’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligns with international maritime standards regarding maritime safety, security, and sustainable marine practices.
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He also called on the IMO to extend technical support to Nigeria.
In his words, “These instruments, duly acceded by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.
“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today.”
On his part, Dominguez, acknowledged with appreciation the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.
“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions. We at the IMO remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he stated.
The instruments Oyetola handed over to Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).
It was gathered that three other Instruments of Accession signed by President Tinubu are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.
Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Single Treasury Account (TSA).
This assertion was made by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
The clarification became necessary to address “a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account”.
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The statement reads, in part, “The report of a missing money is both misleading and false.
“For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency’s operations.
“The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with its statutory purpose. NIMASA Director General, Dr Mobereola has assured stakeholders of the safety of funds under the CVFF.”
The statement cited the DG thus, “Let us be clear that the CVFF account at the Central Bank of Nigeria is safe, intact, and secure. We at NIMASA will continue to manage it with the utmost responsibility, and there are no irregularities or illegal activities surrounding the funds. I urge the public to disregard this false narrative and to continue trusting the Agency’s ability to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector”.
It was gathered that the CVFF is a fund established under section 42 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity and to provide credit facilities to local maritime operators.
The NIMASA, assured of its commitment “to transparency, accountability, and the advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo appears eager to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.
This is discernible from the frenzy of activities being witnessed in his first few days on the job, including dissolution of boards, constitution of investigative panels, flagging off of infrastructure projects, among others.
In the bid to address the perennial road traffic congestion negatively impacting economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, Gov Okpebholo on Wednesday flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge.
Biztellers reports that the flyover bridge around the popular Ramat Park in the city centre is the first of such in the history of Edo State.
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The Edo State Government made the disclosure in its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday.
It wrote, “Traffic decongestion: Gov Okpebholo flags off first flyover in Edo.
“Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City, the State Capital, as part of immediate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”
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