By Steve Agbota, Lagos
Economic activities are going on without hinderances amid the protest rally embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Lagos seaports namely Apapa and Tin-Can Island are opened to economic activities, as container laden trucks are exiting the Apapa ports.
The NLC had threatened to shutdown the nation’s economy from Wednesday, August 2, 2023 due to the total removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant consequences on workers and masses in the country.
A visit by Daily Sun to the nation’s seaports on Wednesday shows that clearing agents are going about their businesses without any hindrances at the various terminals while container laden trucks are exiting the Apapa port.
Speaking earlier, the Public Relations Officer, Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Tin-Can Island ports, Com. Onome Monije, said that activities are also going in smoothly at the Tin Can Island port.
Monije said they thought some shipping companies would join in the protest rally but they haven’t recorded any glitch in service delivery.
“Activities are currently going on in the seaport and I can confirm to you that cargo delivery is currently taking place. Customs officers are also conducting examination on cargoes and trucks are exiting the port. Everywhere is calm and steady,” she said.
In a chat with journalists, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) confirmed that the nation’s Ports are not affected by the ongoing nationwide protest and strike action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC)
The President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, said the union has joined its other comrades to stage the protest at Lagos State Government Secretariat at Alausa, Ikeja.
He confirmed that negotiation meetings with the Federal Government is still ongoing to deliberate on the proposed palliatives for workers to cushion the effect of the removal of petrol subsidy.
“It is a protest and not a total shutdown, the ports are working, as I speak with you, commercial activities are going on. I have directed that the Ports must not be shut. Since this is a protest, we have taken the protest to the government secretariat at Alausa Ikeja, that is where we are right now” Comrade Adeyanju stated.