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Workers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have the raised the alarm that the agency is currently under-staffed, claiming that there has been no general recruitment carried out by the agency in the last 10 years.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive interview, the President NPA branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), AdelekeSanni stated that the recruitment done four or three years ago was only for the Harbour department.
According to him, “about four years ago, the agency recruited people in the Harbours department.
There has not been a general recruitment in the NPA for almost 10 years now. The recruitment done last year which is still pending is for the Fires department.
“For the past 10 years, we are yet to see a general recruitment drive. We need people in all the departments because people are retiring. We need to fortify all the departments.
“Yes automation is the way forward, but we still need people to monitor some aspect because we are not so advanced in terms of technology to leave some critical aspects of our operation unmanned.
“We need people at the quay apron. All the terminals are supposed to be manned. We need people in departments like the Commercial department, Traffic department and others.
Take for instance; the Commercial department which is in charge of billing and collection of revenue are grossly under-staffed.
“We still need people in the Harbours department because the recruitment done about four years ago is still not enough.
“The Harbours department are the ones who bring in the vessels, so we need more people.
“They keep talking about privatisation but people are leaving the agency either by way of voluntary retirement or death. Departments like the Harbours, Traffic and even Personnel should be reinforced.
“The one done last year for the Fires department should be concluded.
The agency needs more hands to curb revenue leakages at the seaports.”
When contacted on the allegation, the General Manager, Public Affairs of the NPA, Captain IhenachoEbubuegou denied that the agency is under-staffed.
“We have statistics to back up the fact that we have adequate hands working in the agency,” Ihenacho affirmed.
It would be recalled that the NPA recently launched the Revenue Invoicing Management Systems (RIMS) to curb revenue leakages at the seaports.
Courtesy – Nigerian Tribune
