MWUN Commends NPA On 90% Completion of Tin Can Port Access Road
President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju (left) exchanging souvenir with Lawal Othman, President of NARTO at the signing of an MoU in Lagos on Wednesday
…Signs Fresh MoU with NARTO to Eradicate Gridlock
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over the 90 percent completion of the Tin Can Island Port access road, even as the union on Wednesday signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) for a sustainable cargo evacuation process at the ports.
At an event to mark the signing of the landmark relationship held at the union’s headquarters in Lagos, its President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju stated that before the end of June 2022, the Tin Can Port access would be completed.
He commended the newly appointed Managing Director of NPA, Muhammed Bello-Koko, saying that the MoU signed by the union would further complement efforts of NPA in eradicating gridlock around the port.
“This is not the first time we are collaborating with NARTO, but the one you are seeing today is the mother of all collaborations in the maritime sector.
“Over the years, we have been having some hiccups of road congestion here and there, so we coming together is to reduce the suffering of the workers and stakeholders at the port.
“We found out that the people we collaborated with in the past were not being sincere and this was why we pulled out, but with this new collaboration, I believe it is a new resurrection, the industry will witness a peaceful atmosphere in terms of the road.
“We need to commend the efforts of the NPA on the 90 completion of the roads leading to Tin Can Island Port, between now and June 2022, the Tin Can Port would be free and stakeholders would start enjoying good access road
“To me, if the roads are good, no investor would run away from our ports to Cotonou to discharge their cargo, with this new MoU with NARTO, it is a signal of good things to come for everybody in the maritime sector.
“What we are doing today is to complement the efforts of the NPA and the new Managing Director” he stated
According to him, the essence of agreement with NARTO is to protect the welfare of the drivers and ensure that they are adequately catered for.
“With this collaboration we are coming out with flyers to educate the drivers.
“The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria today are transformed, informed and standardised, we can compete with any other associations in this country.
“The MWUN and NARTO has come a long way, and this collaboration would be one of the best the industry has witnessed” he said
Apart from easy movement of cargoes in and out of the ports, the new MoU seeks to establish the presence of MWUN and NARTO in all dry ports, seaports and jetties across the nation.
It is also intended to create drivers and dockworkers welfare, revenue generation, protection of members of both organisations and creation of insurance scheme.
Also speaking at the epoch making event, National President of NARTO, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman expressed optimism that the new working agreement with MWUN signals an end to indiscriminate charges on Port access roads and I discriminate parking by drivers.
Speaking, he said “We are going to ensure that there is sanity in the system, the committee that has just been inaugurated would map out strategies to ensure that we put an end to indiscriminate parking and indiscriminate collection of dues” he said
He expressed delight over the partnership while expressing confidence in the success of the venture
He also challenged the management committee members to observe due diligence in the course of carrying out their assignments.
Meanwhile, a Board of Trustees (BOT) has been constituted to run the new marriage, they include : Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju, Ibrahim Ohize, Abubakar Bello, Patrick Onyegbulen, Ifeanyi Mazeli.
Others include; Aloga Ogbogo, Kasim Ibrahim, Salami Ganiyu and Bola Ogunyele.
In the same vein, a management committee of twelve members have also been established, they include; Stephen Okafor as Chairman, Abdullahi Eroje as Co-Chairman, Ajayi Ayokunle as the Secretary while Hananiya Anderson will serve as Assistant Secretary
Other members are: Ibrahim Ohize, Abubakar Bello, Kayode Odunowo, Patrick Oyegbulem, Akeem Ekundayo, Elder Basset Udoh, Abdullahi Inuwa and Cecilia Otobo.
