Collapsed quay apron: MWUN threatens shutdown of Five Star terminal without ultimatum
Collapsed quay apron: MWUN threatens shutdown of Five Star terminal without ultimatum
…chides NPA for allowing vessels to berth at terminal.
Worried over the safety of Dockworkers and other staff at the Tin Can Island Port Complex (TICPC) over the collapsed quay apron, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has chided the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for allowing vessels to berth at Five Star Logistics terminal.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) affiliate union further stated that the union was still observing the situation and may be forced to take unexpected action if government failed to repair the quay apron on time.
President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju told our correspondent on Wednesday that collapsed quay apron endangers the lives of workers at the terminal.
He therefore stated that the union would not fold its hands and watch things continue the ugly way even as he added that the union would catch them unaware by blocking the terminal before the failed portion would cause an accident.
Adeyanju blamed the terminal operators for not reporting the failed portion to the government for quick fix.
He maintained that the port operations should not be politicised but given priority attention.
His words, “We are going to blackout that terminal very soon because safety is of paramount . Our members are there and we cannot fold our hands like that and that is why we are calling on NPA to tell Five Star Logistics Terminal to stop berthing vessels.
“We will not allow accident to happen before we take action about that terminal. We will just take the actions unexpectedly because they are making money at the terminal despite that looming danger . This is the same terminal that is telling us that all is ok but all is not ok.
“We will wake up one morning close down the terminal,” the President General fumed
Adeyanju who also doubles as the 1st Deputy President General, NLC lamented that despite the condition of the quays, NPA still allow vessels to berth at the terminal which is inappropriate in line with International convention noting that all is not well with the terminal.
The President General further accused the Nigerian Shipper’s Council for failing to mediate and inform the Federal Executives Council of the last administration about the importance of the collapsed quay apron in government revenue drive and the need for urgent repairs.
He also recalled that government has failed to also fix the BUA terminal in Onne, Rivers State adding that most of the facilities in the eastern port need urgent rehabilitation.
Recall that the Senior Staff union had promised to engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the need to expedite actions on the repairs of the quay aprons of all the affected port terminals.
