MWUN, NARTO, NAMTOP visit port managers, police, seek support to restore sanity to port access roads

The coalition of National Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), and National Association of Truck Operators (NAMTOP) on Wednesday paid a courtesy visit to the Tincan Island Port Manager, Mr. Sylvester Egede; and the Apapa Port Manager, Mr. Charles Okaga.

The group led by the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale also visited the Apapa Port Police Command, under the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ishola.

According to a statement by the media Head, MWUN, Comrade John Kennedy, the visit was to intimate the port managers and the police of the aims and objectives of the three unions collaboration.

Amongst major issues discussed were the welfare of the trucks drivers, which they said was very paramount to the collaboration.

The question of proper identification of drivers and their trucks were addressed as against the previous modus operandi of drivers having more than one plate numbers for a truck, which was said to have impeded the smooth operations.

In response, the group assured the port managers that such ugly practices will be seriously looked into and will never resurface again, given the collaboration objectives.

The Tincan Island Port Manager expressed gratitude over the visit of Prince Adeyanju, saying that since he assumed office, this was the first time the number one maritime labour leader was paying him a visit, even though, it was on the ground of the collaboration.

The group also sensitized the port managers on the collaboration on ticketing for the truckers within the port premises, which they stressed was the exclusive right of the union as stipulated in its constitution.

According to the group, ticketing for its truckers is within the port zones only and not for any external body outside the port to come for such revenue drive as it’s against the port regulations.

“The ports are regulated by the federal government and as such are not under the state or the local governments authority, ” the group said.

The Apapa Port Manager, Mr. Charles Okaga, also raised and addressed some vital issues that have been negating port operations especially on the side of the truckers, which the port authority had also taken a very drastic decision about.

He noted that the ports access roads are averagely free from traffic congestions, but regretted that the e-call up systems is still not perfect.

He said the e- call up system must be rejigged for efficient and effective port operations adding that it is also important for the truckers to be sincere and disciplined in the course of their operations to ensure sanity in port operations.

In similar vein, the Commissioner of Police, Port Command, CP Lanre Ishola was also briefed about the challenges by truck drivers in the hands of security agencies particularly outside the ports zones, where outrageous extortions from truck drivers are at alarming rate.

The group appealed to the police chief to use his good office to check the anomaly confronting the truckers.

In response, the police boss, said that anything beyond 200mtrs distance from the port area are not under his jurisdiction but that if such incident happens within the port, the matter should be reported to him directly.

He promised to look into the allegations holistically and when and where found to be true, he would assist by taking the matter to the Lagos State Police Command.

In same gesture, the CP of the Port Command also promised to collaborate with the group provided it is within the confines of the laws to ensure the welfare of the truck drivers and a robust package of condition of service.

Prince Adeyanju on behalf of the group thanked the Commissioner of Police for the warm reception accorded them and assure of his willingness to work and to cooperate with them towards ensuring a seamless trucking operational service within the ports premises.