The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commended members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) for shelving their proposed three-day warning strike scheduled to start on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, over the persistent gridlock that has characterised the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in recent weeks due to the activities of heavy-duty trucks along the port access road.
In a statement signed by the Assistant General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications of the NPA, Ibrahim Nasiru, the agency stated that the cancellation of the proposed industrial action was down to several hours of deliberations between the Union and the NPA management on Tuesday, December 8, 2020.
According to the statement, “In the course of the meeting, Management of the NPA assured members of the MWUN and other stakeholders that the problem of congestion and rent-seeking on access roads to the ports will soon become history with the scheduled deployment of an electronic-call up system for trucks in January 2021.
“NPA is working with the Lagos State Government to provide truck holding bays as part of the implementation of the e-call-up system.
“In the interim, NPA is liaising with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for the immediate commencement of remedial works on failed portions of the port access road.
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“The agency is also partnering with the Lagos State Government to deploy law enforcement officers for the maintenance of sanity along the Port Logistic Ring.
“The NPA has also reiterated the directive to all shipping companies to ensure that the size of their respective empty container holding bay is commensurate with the volume of containers they bring into the ports, in line with the agency’s policy on empty containers. Failure to adhere to this will attract sanctions
“Shipping companies are to be responsible for the movement of empty containers from their holding bays to the port. Consignees are to drop empty boxes at the designated empty container holding bays. Failure of shipping companies to remove empty containers at the holding bay will attract sanctions
“The NPA Management, therefore, calls on all stakeholders and port users to go about their businesses as ports operations will continue unhindered.”
Recall that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) had over the weekend directed its members nationwide to shut ports operations and begin a three-day warning strike from Monday, December 7, to protest the total take over of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway by heavy-duty trucks, inflicting untold hardship on other road users.
The union said it is specifically disenchanted by the deplorable state of the access roads to the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, which have claimed several lives and caused incalculable man-hour loss among other dangers as a result of unending gridlock.
NPA commends MWUN over cancellation of proposed port strike
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