The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has beckoned on the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and NIMASA to increase their visibilities at the jetties around the nation’s ports to nip the insecurity challenges rampaging in the area.
This call is coming on the heels of the bombing of a Kaduna bound railway Monday evening.
The President-General of the union Prince Abdulwaeed Adeyanju made the remarks on Tuesday in Lagos while speaking with the labour writers association of Nigeria on the challenges facing the maritime sector.
The union noted that apart from the government losing huge revenue due to the flaunting of laws, the contraventions of laws by the International Oil Company IOC has increased the atrocities been perpetrated at the ports.
The union, therefore, enjoined the federal government to bring back on board ship gang -way Security men and tally Clerk to checkmate the activities at the Port.
The union said the two government agencies need to employ more hands to perform their restive responsibilities adequately.
The union maintained that most terminals around the Port areas have lost their values and objectives, the union called on the government to return the onboard weigh men back to the ports stating that they can not be removed from Port.
Adeyanju who also called for the recucitation of the Dockworkers and seafarers polls which was disbanded by the management of Nigeria ports Authority frowned at some government policies that are hindering certain growth in the Maritime sector
He warned that if they are not reinstated nobody will be able to check the consignment and goods on board, saying government should have a rethink on the removal of the Security men and tally Clerk.
“The vessel is very porous anything can go out and come in. They should be reinstated so that illicit drugs dangerous vessels and stowaways do not come to the nation”, he added.
Comrade Abudu Eroje, Deputy Secretary-General of maritime corroborated Adeyanju on the need to secure the port against illicit drugs, and dangerous vessels.
The union also promise to work with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to rid off the activities of drug traffickers.
