Port Health Sends SoS To FG, Says “We Trek From Berth 1 To Berth 14 Discharging Our Duties Aboard Ships”

The Nigerian Ports Health Services at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) has lamented  that poor transportation  and logistics arrangement poses serious challenges for personnel to board vessels at berth .

 

Head of the service at the Lagos Ports Complex ,Mr. A.A. Olokodana disclosed this recently in a chat with some government officials in his office in Lagos.

 

According to him, personnel of the service most times trek from  berth 1 to berth 14  discharging  their duties aboard vessels , noting that the situation over the years have  affected the psyche of  officials.

 

He noted that officials of the  shipping agents are not reliable and efficient on the transportation of personnel to vessels at berth.

 

 

 

Olokodana, An Assistant Director of the services lamented that transportation to the quay apron has been  the major challenge affecting officers of the service at the seaport,  saying it takes a long while for his men to approach vessels at berth due to logistics problem.

 

He appealed for the government to provide functional vehicles for  Port Health service officials to work with , in order to enhance it’s operations at the seaports.

 

Speaking further , Olokodana disclosed that personnel of the service spend close to 30minutes on board vessels at berth in order to carry out its examinations  and inspection.

 

 

“Our challenges is transportation. Though office accommodation is another one. But transportation is a problem here.

 

 

He maintained that officials of the service have robust working relationship with sister agencies to ensure that vessels at berth are properly inspected to keep the port safe .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port Health officials are the first set of government agencies to aboard vessels at berth .

 

By Roland Ekama