By Uche Usim
ABOUT 5,000 dock workers have been sacked as the Federal Government has finally given the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) the nod to terminate the 10-year contract it has with Tally Clerks (TCs) and Onboard Security men who are stevedoring contractors at various sea terminals in Nigeria.
Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi gave the approval last Thursday at a meeting he held with representatives of the NPA, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), terminal operators, stevedoring companies and top Transport Ministry officials.
Amaechi, who ruled at the meeting that NPA had every right and reason to terminate relationship the stevedoring contractors said to be employing about 5,000 dockworkers, however directed the port authority to pay the affected stevedores all outstanding emoluments within 14 days.
Recall NPA, in 2015, said it would not renew the 10-year contract it has with stevedoring companies when it expired on December 15, 2015.
The Spokesman of NPA, Iheanacho Ebubeogu said NPA’s refusal to renew the stevedoring companies’ contract was in line with the current port reforms and laws governing activities at the ports.
“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.
“You can go to a ship to and you will see a security man who will ask you questions on what you came for and what you want to do.
“They will ask you questions and give you a tag based on your mission. Paying for onboard security is against our own law at NPA. This is not a thing you do on sympathy because if you are held you go for it.
“For tally clerks, NIMASA regulates them. If the terminal operators that handle cargo want the services of those contractors, they will employ their services and tally clerk also. NPA does not employ tally clerks again,” Ebubeogu said.
NPA, it was gathered, spends N1billion annually on the contract, which amounts to N10 in the 10 years the deal lasted.