MWUN Reaffirms COVID-19 Incidence At Lagos Seaports As Fluke

Last updated Mar 28, 2020

President General, MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju in a warm elbow shake with the GMD Ports and Cargo Handling Services,Mr. John Jerkins during the Union's visit to the terminal,TCIP Lagos.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has described the six cases of covid19 report aboard a vessel in Lagos by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as a fluke.

The union while reacting to the disagreement between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and NCDC on the reported number aboard a vessel , maintained that no case of corona virus pandemic has been diagnosed or confirmed in Lagos ports till date.

MWUN President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju and his executives visit to Ports and Cargo Handling Services,TCIP ,Lagos

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In a statement signed by the President General, MWUN,Comrade Adewale Adeyanju on Friday, explained that a suspected case was recorded in Benin Republic but tested negative at the end.

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According to the statement, the seafarer in question ; Sura Shinde, boarded a vessel simply identified as MSC SHAULLA, tested positive for haemorrhagic fever which is basically malaria fever and not the dreaded Coronavirus.

Adeyanju said as part of sensitizing members on the menace of CovID-19, a high powered
team of union officials recentiy toured all port formations in Lagos to create awareness on the necessity to adopt preventive behaviours.

while on or off duty with the view to curtailing the spread of the disease in ports.

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The stated added that “Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) wishes to announce and support the position of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that no case of the corona virus has been diagnosed or confirmed in our Lagos ports till date.

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“This is as gleaned from the result of the laboratory test conducted by the
Ministry of health, Federal Republic of Benin on the only suspected sailor-Sura
Shinde, who came in on board the vessel – MSC SHAULLA. Please see attached
report.

“According to the laboratory report he tested negative for COvID 19 but positive for haemorrhagic fever which is basically malaria fever.”

The President General also urged port users to be vigilant and support efforts by government and health agencies to curb the continuous spread of the disease.

He also lauded the efficiency of the Port Health officials in monitoring and enforcing compliance to preventive health procedures in the ports.

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He further urged officials of the Port Health to be vigilant and alert to forestall any form of smuggling the very infectious COVID-19 via the nation’s seaports .

By Roland Ekama