The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) branch of the Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations,(SSACTAC) has revealed that since the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo issued an Executive Order mandating 24hours port operation at the seaports, workers of the NPA have been sleeping in their vehicles at night to ensure the policy is fulfilled.
Speaking to newsmen recently on the sideline of the protest embarked upon by seaport workers against further amendment of the NPA Act, President of SSACTAC, Benson Adegbeyeni stated that the port cannot operate 24 hours for now because of lack of infrastructure like good roads and proper lighting of the ports.
According to him, “since the fuss about 24 hours port operations began last month, NPA workers have been sleeping in their vehicles daily just to please the government.”
He also lamented the lack of security at the port and the fact that there are no good roads leading into and outside the port as against what is obtainable in other countries of the world where the ports operate round-the clock.
“Look at the roads leading to our port, see how terrible they are. Look at our port entrance, very pathetic. The port entrance all over the world, which is the gateway to the country’s economy is always as smooth as the expressway. Ours is not like that.
“Talking about 24 hours port operations, where is the lighting? Can you work inside the ports at night? No, because of poor lighting of the ports. My people are complaining that they always sleep inside their cars.
“We have been fortunate to travel all over the world, to other ports like the port of Antwerp and England, they are being run by private hands and their governments are not like this over there.”