FG is Losing Huge Revenue over Absence of Onboard Security Men, Says Maritime Union

Ugo Aliogo

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has disclosed that the federal government is losing huge revenue in the maritime sector over absence of tally clerks and onboard security men also known as on vessels in the nation’s ports.

The workers’ union said their absence is making vessels laden for Nigerian ports become porous as they are loaded with dangerous cargoes such as trafficking of illicit drugs, arms and ammunitions, as well as give access to stowaways, among others. President-General of MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju, who disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing, said onboard security men, otherwise known as ‘on board ship gang way security men,’ should be reinstated to restore security onboard vessels in the ports.

He said that a large percentage of vessels coming into the Nigeria ports are porous but with the presence of onboard security men and tally clerks, vessels laden with dangerous cargoes could be easily spotted and surveillance placed on the vessels.

He denied any involvement with other officials to aid and abet crime that led to their removal onboard vessels but said government’s unfriendly policies has made the very important department to be withdrawn from vessels.

According to him: “If government wants to achieve more they should bring them back. The vessels coming into the Nigerian ports are so porous. Anything can go out and come in. With onboard security men, we will be able to restore security onboard vessels. Federal Government does not know what is happening in the port. We do know more because we are on standby and receive information from our men on the field. They should be reinstituted so that illicit drugs, dangerous vessels and stowaway don’t come into Nigeria.”

The MWUN boss urged the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaech and his petroleum counterpart, Timipre Sylva, to show more commitment in the maritime sector.

Adeyanju said Amaechi’s non-commitment to the sector fully is making the country lose huge revenue.

He urged Amaechi and Sylva to work in tandem and investigate the resistance of the International Oil Companies’ (IOCs) non-compliance to with the extant stevedoring regulations, otherwise known as Government Marine Notice 106 of 2014.

He alleged that the IOCs had ignored the minister’s directives and other top stakeholders, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), that they should allow stevedoring companies access to their platforms to commence operations.

He said the directive issued since last year, was supposed to enable the registered dockworkers, along with the appointed and deployed stevedoring companies, to operate in the IOCs platforms.

However, he said up till now, the IOCs have bluntly refused the appointed and deployed stevedoring companies to commence operations and has thus deprived its members (dockworkers) in the employ of the stevedoring companies to work and earn a living.

He said up till now out of 30 IOCs operating in the country only three has complied, thus making Nigeria lose huge revenue in the oil and gas sector.

He threatened that the union would renew the suspended strike if no urgent measure were taken to address the issue.

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.