Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has finally ordered the termination of appointments of 5,000 employees of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).
Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu
An unofficial source has disclosed to Elombah.com that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has finally ordered the termination of appointments of 5,000 employees of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).
This is quite unfortunate as inside sources has revealed that maritime transportation can absorb far beyond that figure if only the maritime sector is fully revamped especially in Lagos and Port Harcourt axis.
Elombah.com is still trying to get relevant authorities to speak on the matter and will furnish their official responses as soon as they are ready.
Meanwhile, it was reliably gathered that Amaechi has formally approved the end of employment relationship with stevedoring contractors and a set of dockworkers known as tally clerks and onboard security.
Earlier, Amaechi had held a meeting with representatives of the organisation, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), terminal operators, stevedoring companies and top Transport Ministry officials at Abuja recently to deliberate on the way forward for the agency.
Amaechi, at the meeting, had ruled that NPA had every right and reason to terminate relationship with stevedoring contractors which employs the affected 5,000 dockworkers.
However, the minister directed the port authority to pay the affected stevedores all outstanding money due to them in the next two weeks.
NPA had announced last year that it would not renew the 10-year contracts it signed with the stevedoring companies when it expired on December 15, 2015 and kept to it till the latest ministerial approval.
Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu said in an interview that NPA’s refusal to renew the stevedoring companies’ contract was in line with the current port reforms and laws governing activities at the ports.
According to him, “NPA does not have any security staff on ships any longer.
“It is no more the responsibility of NPA but terminal operators according to ISPS code to employ security details on board.”
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