NPA WORKFORCE:  Tale Of Many Generals, Less Soldiers

With the daily declination of junior staff under the employ of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Roland Ekama writes on the need for management of the authority to fill in the existing gap in furtherance to boost productivity and enhance port efficiency. Excerpts.

 

 

 

 

 

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in the early 1980’s  was known to be a viable agency under the Ministry of Transportation , with public interest.  Unarguably NPA provides about 27.5% of the national working population with employment opportunities for both direct and indirect labour workforce back in the day.

 

This is because maritime sector provides opportunities for both skilled and unskilled labour. The 2006 port reform policy that brought about concession has alarming effects on employment and employees of NPA.

 

The Ports Authority which was hoped to create employment opportunities suddenly became a major cause of increasing rate of unemployment and dependency. This was obvious that about 75 percent of NPA

workforce were retrenched into the already saturated labour market and the post concession era.

 

Sadly to note here is the fact that most of the workers affected were the junior workers who are more in the operational units, departments or  sections.

 

Back in the last 1970’s there was no resident that is not linked  or engaged by NPA mostly in surrounding communities like Ajegunle, Apapa ,Ijora and Mile 2 , due to the wide scope of operations.

 

Prior to the port concession, there was a massive capacity building project for NPA workers under the seafarers unit who were sadly ageing as at today. Those Master Mariners have served this country with little or no impact to the next generation.

 

The master mariners sponsored by NPA had their capacity building project in faraway Belgium. As a pre-teen in the early 1980″s NPA was the pride of the common man due to her involvement in the  employment of Nigerians .

 

Anxiety remains that government, the greatest employer of labour and NPA a viable parastatal is ceded to private hands. Employment opportunities for the teeming and ever increasing youths would be frustrated and jeopardized, thus unemployment would be further compounded.

 

The employment of junior workers should be the most worrisome issue for the acting Managing Director of NPA Koko Bello Mohammed, owing to the fact that some departments have fewer or no personnel to man key operations in some of the ports .

 

For instance the Occupational Safety Department at Tin Can Island Port Complex TICPC has  only one female staff available to provide services for both internal and external personnel.

This complaints, DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA gathered has re-echoed severally to management of the NPA right from the time of Mallam Habib Abdullah up till date without no meaningful responses.

To further compound problem for the junior workers of the NPA was the retrenchment of the tally clerks and onboard security men which further narrow down the already overstretched junior workers.

Since the port concession exercise in 2006, where the federal government through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) handed over operational activities to private terminal operators in the country, there has been a mass drop of junior workers under the foremost agency without adequate replacement.

One of the major reasons behind the decline of the junior workers of NPA can be attributed to promotion , death and retirement of personnel without swift replacement.

Just like an expensive joke cracked recently by two top union executives from the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and (SSASCGOG);  says “the Junior union are popular and powerful while the senior staff have the numerical strength and cash “.

 

To further buttress this expensive joke, the foot soldiers currently engaged or employed by management of the NPA is reducing by the day and government is yet to understand the danger inherent to boosting productivity in port operations.

 

Statistics has shown that  the Authority has a total number of 21 GMs and 60 AGMs as at 2021 , according to a statement  on NPA official website.

 

Furthermore,with this figure mentioned above, the statistical analysis revealed that senior staff takes a large chuck of  employment with 72% against junior staff with 28%.

 

Primarily to note, level 4 to 7 which comprises of junior workers is depleting by the day, with dire implications of losing competent hands who are the ground troops of the agency.

 

However, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN led by Comrade Adewale Adeyanju at the recently held elections of NPA Branch called on management to employ junior workers in furtherance to filling the existing vacancies.

 

Meanwhile, workers under the Nigerian Ports Authority Branch, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN , raised the alarm over the gradual extinction of junior staff employees under the agency.

 

President of the branch, Comrade Edward Ifeanyi Mazeli who disclosed this in Lagos, during the 5th Quandriennal Branch delegates conference,also stressed the need for management of the NPA to employ more junior staff to boost the workforce .

 

Mazeli also lamented that the numerical strength of members of union are dwindling daily , attributing the decline to promotions, retirements and death.

 

He affirmed that : “The numerical strength of our members are dwindling every day. This is a result of promotions, retirements and death which is a natural phenomenon.

 

“We wish to use this opportunity to once again appeal to our management to employ more junior workers to boost the workforce.”

 

According to him, hundreds of private jetties operating in the country are without the presence of workers of the agency , stressing the need to reverse the trend for obvious reasons.

 

The branch President also urged the NPA and Nigeria Shippers’Council, a sister agency under the Ministry of Transportation to engage importers and shipping companies  to ensure that goods are shipped to the eastern seaports of the country.

 

“Also given the fact that Onitsha is the commercial hub in the South Eastern Nigeria, it makes it imperative for the development of Onitsha seaport to boost economic activities and create employment for Nigerians.

 

Mazeli also urged management of the NPA to reduce harbour dues in the eastern seaports, as part of measures to stimulate greater patronage by shippers.

 

Speaking on  gratuity for retirees, the union’s branch boss affirmed that workers of NPA on retirement has scheme beginning from 180% to 280%, which in turn led to the commendation by the union on behalf of members

 

Primarily on  the collaboration with  the senior staff NPA union, Comrade Mazeli noted that ” Prior to this administration, our two in-house union’s were engaging management separately. But this administration has adopted a collaborative approach in interfacing with management.

 

“I wish to report that this approach has brought much dividends to the workers of NPA amongst which are dissolving the contentious/aged long stagnation issues, harmonisation of salary structure etc”.

 

Giving account on the industrial peace and harmony in the maritime sector, he maintained that the last four years under his watch witnessed tremendous working relationship with management , thus seeking management’s collaboration at all levels to ensure peaceful coexistence that will culminate into achieving the ultimate vision and mission of NPA and its numerous subsidiaries.

 

Following the shortage of junior workers nationwide in port operations , the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Branch, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporation and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) Maritime recently, raised the alarm over the Nigeria Police Force usurpation at Tin Can Island Port Complex TICPC in Lagos.

 

The unions reiterated that the port is running out  of manpower mostly in the security and traffic departments respectively,  which in turn has led to low productivity of the few workers on ground.

 

Investigation conducted by our correspondent recently confirmed that a total of 24 personnel at TCIPC and KLT Phase 1 and 2 are deployed to manage traffic situation which gave rise for personnel of the Port  Police officials to catch in to take charge.

 

According to a joint statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos, and addressed to the Chairman, Governing Board of the NPA , the unions maintained that shortage of workers have paved the way for a large number of police personnel taking over NPA responsibilities in port operations.

 

The joint statement signed by the concerned union groups , namely: Nigerian Ports Senior Staff Association, (NPASSA)Tin Can Island Port Zone and  Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Tin Can Island Port District,  maintained that TCIPC is the busiest port in Africa, yet there are shortage of manpower to man strategic positions in furtherance to cover key operational scope.

 

Amona and Comrade O. Ameh stressed that the port is faced with numerous challenges but added that police encroachment was alarming in designated operations strictly for port workers.

 

“We also observed that number of the Nigerian Police Force outnumbered the Traffic and security department which ought not to be so with the introduction to ETO’s system.

 

“With this introduction the number of Policemen should be reduced as the system requires few hands.

 

They lamented that the port is faced with influx of unauthorized persons which in turn has constituted security threat due to lack of personnel of man strategic entry points within the complex.

 

“The port is faced with multiple entry points which allow influx of unauthorized persons which constitute security threats.

 

“The port is also running on shortage of manpower in various departments not allowing for maximum output.

 

“This have paved way for a large number of the Nigerian Police over the NPA personnel , thereby making them to take over Nigerian Ports Authority’s responsibilities.

 

“In view of the above, we are aware of management plans to fence the port and its entirety, we pray that management through the board will expedite action,”the statement said.

 

But in a subtle reaction during the NPA’ board executives to Tin Can Island Port,  TCIPC assured that management is working towards ensuring more junior workers engagement.

 

The Governing Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Tuesday , expressed shock over the sudden disappearance of enigmatic traffic on  Tin Can Island Port Complex TICPC access road, saying the development was commendable for the management team.

 

Chairman of the Board, Emmanuel Adesoye gave the assurance when he led members of the board on a working visit to the port complex.

 

Since the visit in August 2021, management of the NPA under Mohammed Bello Koko has not deemed it fit to commence the process of engagement of junior staff.