…Insist no congestion at Onne
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Maritime transporters under the auspices of Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) Eastern Zone, have rejected the Electronic -Call-Up truck system at Onne and other ports in the Eastern Zone, vowing to take action if the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other maritime authorities refuse to adhere to their call for its review.
The association rising from an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, where over 700 of its members were in attendance, insisted that the electronic system failed at Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can.
It wondered why such should be experimented in the Eastern ports, which are strongly yearning for Port infrastructural development such as good Port access road and dredging of water channels to accommodate more vessels and increase cargo throughput and vessel turnaround time.
The association lamented that freight differential and high insurance at the Eastern ports have already dealt a big blow on the operators.
Some of the truck owners and drivers were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as, ‘There is no congestion at Onne ports’, ‘we don’t want E-call-up system at Onne’, ‘E- call-up is to kill the Eastern ports’, and ‘E- call-up didn’t work in Lagos.’
According to them, those canvassing for the e-call-up system are the ones who have put in place their “corrupt mechanisms” waiting to hijack the system as they did in Lagos, thereby causing unemployment and hardship for people who are already suffering.
They described the system as “hydra-headed monster” that would at the long run stifle the Onne oil and gas business and also cripple the Eastern ports which are underutilized.
The MWUN berated a group known as Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) for endorsing the electronic-call-up system and its (AMATO) willingness to adopt the system, describing the group as “non-existent”.
The Haulage District Chairman, Maritime Workers Union Eastern Zone, Comrade Adolphus Ugwu said, “such Association is non existent here at Onne or only existed on the author’s imagination not here at Onne Port or the entire Eastern ports.
“The so-called AMATO chieftain Adeshina Ajibola in that online publication claimed he came to Onne on invitation. That means he doesn’t operate nor reside here, we don’t even know him. The other person who said he is Samuel Ossai, the Coordinating Secretary of Trucker Owners is not our member.
“People who know him, said he drives Keke at Onitsha. You can see how desperate some people can be. They went and rented those people to cause confusion at Onne.
“But, having critically examined E-Call- up system, my people at Onne and Eastern ports have unanimously said ‘No’ to E-Call-Up system. No congestion here at Onne. And Onne Port is not ripe for E-Call-Up system.”
Speaking further, Ugwu said they were not against the policy of the federal government, but pleaded that the authorities concerned should listen to their plea.
He continued: “There is no congestion at Onne and the cost implication will be much, as some people will hijack the system for their selfish gains.
“Maritime works are law-abiding citizens of this country. What we are saying is that they should not bring this system here that failed woefully in Lagos,” he emphasized.
Also, District Secretary, Truck Owners Association, Maritime Workers Union, Dock Workers branch, Comrade Casmir Anukanti, said: “The voice of the people is the voice of God. What you are seeing today is an organic crowd not rented and they have voiced out their rejection of the E-Call-Up system in the Eastern Ports and precisely Onne through our resolution.”
“Feelers we got from Lagos showed it didn’t work. Onne is not a guinea pig for experimentation. So, both the drivers and truck owners said ‘no’ to it.
“We are law-abiding association and always act within the ambits of the law. What we are saying is that NPA, the Ministry of Maritime and Blue Economy, as well as the transportation ministry should look into our cries and suspend the E-Call-Up system for now. Onne Port and other Eastern ports are underutilized. We are keenly watching and might take appropriate actions if the need arises,” Anukanti declared.
Some of the drivers, who spoke, were unanimous in rejecting the system which they said would aggravate their suffering.