By Roland Ekama,Lagos
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant maritime agencies to ensure 100% physical examination on all cargoes moved out of the seaports through the use of barges.
President General of the Union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju who made the plea on Tuesday in Lagos, further cautioned the Marine Police to work harmoniously in policing, monitoring and inspecting cargoes on board the barges along the waterways for security reasons.
According to him, the number of barges conveying cargoes from the ports to other parts of Lagos State have significantly increased but cautioned that security must be paramount.
The union leader maintained that with the current security challenges facing the country, there was the need for the customs and Marine Police to collaborate in regulating activities of the operators.
He said, “Barge operation has been in existence for years it was just resuscitated because of gridlock but the government should look inward in the barge operations because when you pit containers on them who examine them?
“Customs, NPA and security operatives should be on the lookout because you are giving some people privilege and they will abuse that privilege .
“They may use the barge to transfer the container to somewhere else and who examined the content of the container. So, the government should be vigilant and look at the security aspect of it,” he maintained.
