Freight Agents Resume Work At Kirikiri Terminal After Death of ANLCA Member

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…as Joatelim Terminal Pays N8million Compensation to Deceased Family

By DAPO OLAWUNI

About one week after the terminal was shutdown over the death of her member, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Kiriki Chapter has confirmed the reopening of embattled terminal;
Joatelim Logistics Limited.

The terminal operator located at Kirikiri phase 1 was shutdown last week Tuesday after an agent, Kennedy Ikechukwu died inside the terminal.

The terminal operator has reportedly paid N6.5million as compensation to the deceased family, while N1.5million was paid for burial process, amounting to N8million.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday morning in Lagos, Chairman of ANLCA at Kirikiri Chapter, Comrade Goddy Sewa Soleji said the Terminal has been opened on Monday morning after the management agreed to pay N8million to family of the deceased.

He said the terminal has equally started meeting some of the demands made by the agents last week, some of which includes, automation of the terminal.

Recall that the deceased Kennedy Ikechukwu met his death when he went to position his container for examination inside the terminal due manual operation, lack of efficiency and manpower on the part of the management.

In the process of doing that, a crane had knocked down Ikechukwu, and climbed on him, thereby leading to his death.

Speaking the ANLCA Chairman confirmed that “The Joatelim Terminal at Kirikiri Phase 1 has been reopened yesterday (Monday), and operations has since commenced. The terminal was reopened at 9am on Monday.

“They have swung into action by putting certain things in place, when we went to inspect the terminal yesterday, we discovered that, based on the letter we wrote them and our demands; they said they now have an operational van, though am yet to see it, secondly, they assured they would get the Ambulance by 15th of February

“In a letter they wrote to us, they said they have engaged more personnel, and that the bad eggs among their staff have been fired.
There is now a new order in the terminal.

“What we noticed was that before now, there was only one entrance and exit into the terminal, but now, they have created a separate gate for exit.

“As for the flooring of the terminal, they promised that this would be achieved later.
We are aware that they cannot meet all our demands within one week, we are not against that, what we are against is them neglecting their duties.

“I wish they had listened to us last year when we wrote first, second and third letter to them, maybe the accident that occurred would have been avoided” he said

Speaking on the settlement that was made with family of the deceased, Comrade Soleji said ANLCA was never a part of the negotiation, and that it was done between the family of the deceased and the terminal operators.

“The association is not a debt collector, our job is to mediate between the family of the deceased and the management of terminal operators to ensure the proper things is done, and this was exactly the role the association played

“When it was time for negotiations, I insisted that none of my members or myself would be part of the meeting, both parties went for the meeting and the report they gave us thereafter was that they agreed on an amount for burial and another amount as compensation”

“There is no amount given to the family that would bring back the dead, it is important to work hand in hand to ensure such ugly occurrence does not happen again” he said

The ANLCA Chairman said that another demand which the agents had made, was for the Joatelim Terminal to automate its terminal so that agents would not have to go into the terminal to locate container by themselves, this was what led to the death of Mr Ikechukwu.

He said that though the terminal operator is yet to aquire computers, they are now doing it manually, their clerks are now the one positioning containers for examination, they no longer allow agent into the terminal

According to Comrade Soleji, part of the new order in the terminal now is that “No agent is allowed to climb their equipment or put earpiece when inside the terminal, motorcycles have been banned from the terminal, no hawking in and around around the terminal”

In terms of losses, he said that no losses was recorded because the terminal has waived storage charges.

The remains of the dead clearing agent was deposited at the Naval hospital at Boundary, Ajegunle. He was confirmed dead on arrival, and a death certificate has been issued to the family.

Kennedy Ikechukwu A.K.A Skiibo was a 46-years old bachelor from Owerri in Imo State.

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