NARTO/MWUN & NAMTOP VISIT PORT MANAGERS, PORTS POLICE COMMAND
The Collaboration of National Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), and National Association of Truck Operators (NAMTOP) led by Comrade (Prince) Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP, paid a courtesy visit to the Port Manager, Tincan Island, Mr. Sylvester Egede; and the Apapa Port Manager, Mr. Charles Okaga; as well as the Apapa Ports Police Command, under the Commissioner of Police, (CP) Lanre Ishola to intimate them of the aims and objectives of the three unions collaboration.
In a press statement signed by the Media Head of MWUN, Comrade John Ikemefuna, and made available to The Prestige Magazine Online, he stated that, “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 number plates for a truck, which was said to have been impeding what ought to have been smooth operations. In response, the collaboration assured the Ports Managers that such ugly practices would be seriously looked into and never resurface again, given the collaboration objectives.”
The Tincan Island Port Manager expressed gratitude over the visit of Prince Adeyanju, saying that since he (Sylvester) assumed office, this was the first time the number one maritime labour leader was paying him a visit though on the ground of the collaboration.
The Collaboration also sensitized the Ports Managers on joint ticketing for the truckers within the ports premises; which of course, they seriously emphasized was the exclusive right of the Union as stipulated in its constitution as ticketing for its truckers is within the ports zones only and not for any external body to come into the ports for such revenue drive as it’s against the ports regulations as the ports are regulated by the federal government of Nigeria and not managed by State or local government authority.
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 also said that it was evident now that the ports access roads were averagely free from traffic congestions, but regretted that the e-call up system was still not perfect but said it must be rejigged for efficient and effective port operations, emphasising the important for the truckers to be sincere and disciplined in the course of their operations to ensure sanity in port operations.
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, however promised to look into the allegations holistically and if 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 work with the collaboration within the confines of the laws, this is given to the commitment of the collaboration on the welfare of the truck drivers and the robust package of condition of service.
Prince Adeyanju on behalf of the collaboration BoT members in the entourage thanked the Commissioner of Police for the warm reception accorded them; and expressed his genuine willingness to work and to cooperate with the collaboration towards ensuring seamless trucking operation within the ports premises.
